Joseph Biddles

Joe Biddles is a specialist commercial property and real estate lawyer and a director of boutique law firm Thompson Blackie Biddles. Prior to this Joe worked at Russell McVeagh and formerly was the New Zealand Legal Counsel of Lion. Joe acts for a number of corporate and institutional clients and his practice covers all areas of commercial property including acquisitions and disposals, commercial leasing, developments, joint ventures and overseas investments in New Zealand. In the current market, Joe is noticing a particular focus on development work, (both freehold subdivisions and unit title developments) and a renewed focus on, and interest in, acquisitions (from both domestic and overseas buyers/funds).

Jeanne Heatlie

Jeanne is partner at Rainey Law. She is a skilled litigator with many years experience both in New Zealand and abroad. Jeanne has represented Body Corporates and homeowners in building defect and weathertightness cases. She was an integral part of the Plaintiff team on the Nautilus litigation resulting in the largest award made in a defective building case to date. Jeanne provides advice on construction related issues, including schemes of repair and escrow arrangements. She also extensive experience in insolvency law and has represented liquidators and creditors in a number of high profile cases. She has been involved in investigations of large scale corporate collapses and the prosecution of claims for the recovery of assets. Jeanne has acted on claims against former directors for reckless trading and against auditors for breaches of professional duties. She has experience in a number of foreign jurisdictions.

David Gilbert

David Gilbert is a highly regarded commercial property lawyer who has advised on some of New Zealand's largest property transactions and developments. With over 20 years experience advising on property acquisitions, property developments and leasing. David has particular expertise in putting together complex acquisition agreements, project contracts, commercial subdivisions, including office, retail and industrial properties, shopping centres and industrial parks. David has extensive public and private sector experience in due diligences, and the acquisition and disposal of land, retail premises and office complexes. He also has experience advising clients, including the Crown, in the health, military and energy sectors. David represents major asset managers in their property portfolio requirements from acquisition, including Overseas Investment Office compliance, management and divestment. David reviews and coordinates property leases. David also specialises in infrastructure projects, with experience in both New Zealand and the United Kingdom and a focus on Public Private Partnerships (PPP).

Stephen Drain

Stephen Drain is a Partner in PwC's Forensic Services team, specialising in the prevention, detection and response to economic crime particularly fraud, corruption and money laundering. This includes assisting Reporting Entities to comply with their obligations under New Zealand's Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Act 2009. He has led and investigated a wide range of financial crimes from initial investigation to final proceedings and is experienced in working discretely with boards and senior leaders to help them meet a range of challenges including suspected fraud, probity concerns and regulatory investigations. Stephen's early career was in the New Zealand Police and after qualifying as a detective he moved to the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) initially as an investigator and later Supervising Senior (Investigations). After leaving the SFO, Stephen had two senior roles in leadership development, and joined PwC in 2012. As part of this work, Stephen and his team assist in designing and implementing AML/CFT risk assessments and programmes and developing and delivering relevant training. Specific engagements included remediation for a NZ registered bank, AML/CFT Audits for a number of NZ entities including Registered Banks and financial institutions, Risk Assessment and Programme development advice an development of an AML Risk Assessment and Programme for a Banking Licence application.

Marie Wisker

Marie Wisker advises clients on a wide variety of commercial disputes, specialising in employment law and health and safety. Marie works with a number of the firm's key clients, many of whom are large employers. Her broad range of general commercial experience means that she is able to provide practical advice relevant to the clients' commercial objectives. Marie assists clients on the full range of employment and health and safety matters. She has represented clients in numerous mediations and hearings, has experience in acting for employers on health and safety investigations and prosecutions and works alongside clients to help them understand the new health and safety regime. Marie helps clients manage employment and health and safety risks through compliance advice and training, and she has spoken at a number of conferences on both employment and health and safety. Marie is recommended by Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2016. She is also recognised as an "associate to watch" by Chambers Asia Pacific 2016.

Vicki Toan

Vicki Toan is a partner at Glaister Ennor. She specialises in resource management and unit titles law. She offers pragmatic and practical advice to assist her clients to achieve their goals. Vicki advises landowners and developers on all aspects of land development under the Resource Management Act and related legislation. She also acts for bodies corporate, unit owners and body corporate managers on unit title-related matters such as governance, operational rules, and repairs and maintenance. She works closely with the firm's property teams on pre- purchase due diligence and Overseas Investment Act matters.

Stamford Plaza Auckland

Ground Floor, 22 - 26 Albert St
Auckland 1010
AUCKLAND, NZ

Ph: 64 9 309 888

Directions:

The Stamford Plaza Auckland is a short 5 minute walk from the main

train/bus station Britomart. There is onsite valet parking, charged at a rate

of NZ$45 per car. Alternatively there are numerous public car parks in the

area including Challenge House, 1/3 Wolfe Street.

Parking is not included in the registrartion fee and price is subject to

change.