Stephanie Harris

Joint Managing Partner

I act for investors and developers with commercial property portfolios in both the private and public sector. With nearly 30 years experience, I have gained invaluable expertise in undertaking large and complex property transactions and developments. 

I provide strategic and legal advice on every aspect of property law as it relates to commercial property transactions and ownership structures, including negotiations for acquisition and sale, all associated matters, and any subsequent disputes arising. I also advise on many complex lease and development structures including the necessary funding arrangements for my clients.

In addition, I act for a number of high profile businesses, both small medium enterprises and larger corporates. And, I attend to their day to day business requirements; in particular, as those requirements relate to terms and conditions of supply, security interests, general structuring, and finance.

I aim to deliver excellence to my clients in terms of my legal technical skills and to provide precise problem solving solutions together with a clear and detailed understanding of what is the best client outcome.

My extensive experience includes:

• Advising a wholly owned Government entity in respect of its development of a new, innovative, and unique urban community, which is at the forefront of urban planning, design, and modern environmental principles. I have been instrumental in the master planning documentation, sale, development of land and structure of its joint venture profit sharing arrangements with its commercial partner

• Assisting with numerous acquisition, disposition, and due diligence transactions for multi-tenanted office towers, shopping centres, and industrial properties for listed property trusts. In particular, I have developed a longstanding relationship with one of New Zealand’s leading property trusts where I assist with the legal requirements of managing a comprehensive and diversified portfolio of prime office assets nationwide.

• Gaining invaluable experience with complex leases, incentives and fit out agreements, restructuring of commercial office tower leases some being significant redevelopments, and with managing contractors’ tender and construction contracts for New Zealand and Australian property funds. One of my key clients is an internationally renowned specialist property funds management company responsible for managing a range of funds investing in traditional retail, office, and industrial sectors, including undertaking an intensive and comprehensive review of various lease provisions enacted following, and relating to, losses suffered through the Christchurch earthquakes.

• Managing all necessary encumbrances and consents in respect of titles; such as, unit titles, leasehold titles, and other strata title arrangements. In particular, I have managed all necessary encumbrances for significant development work for a central city shopping centre in a major provincial city, which includes unit titles, leasehold land, and ground leases from the local Council over public spaces. In addition, I liaised with iwi interests.

• Assisting with all lending arrangements, security document preparation, enforcement, and cross-collateralisation of securities, including acting for a significant United Kingdom bank in relation to New Zealand debt facilities and acting for New Zealand banks in relation to overseas securities. Primarily, this work relates to securing clients’ developments and acting for the banks to put security arrangements in place.

• Acting for the New Zealand division of an international cosmetic and beauty house in respect of its supply and distribution agreements, various contracting arrangements, and the management of its day to day business legal requirements.

• Advising the management team of one of New Zealand’s market-leading, food producers including advising on management shareholding structures.

• Acting as a trustee for the Kate Edger Educational Charitable Trust, which annually funds a number of awards (around $600,000 pa) aimed at providing women with financial assistance for retraining, and for undergraduate and postgraduate study. The Kate Edger Educational Charitable Trust is named in recognition of New Zealander Kate Milligan Edger (1857-1935), the first woman to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in the British Empire.

I pride myself on fostering long term client relationships and being accessible to my clients every day in a way that allows me to really grasp a client’s business needs and aspirations rather than just meeting their legal requirements; so as to provide effective, economic, and timely advice.