Brigid McArthur

Practice Areas

Corporate/Commercial, Energy and Natural Resources

Career

Brigid is a highly regarded senior corporate/commercial lawyer, working across many sectors of the economy and government but particularly the energy sector. She holds trusted advisor status for many key clients and has a reputation for getting deals done.

With over 35 years’ experience, Brigid’s corporate and commercial practice is very broad. She has a particular focus on corporate transactional work, share sales and acquisitions, balance sheet and business restructuring and capital raising, overseas investment, major contract negotiations and procurement, governance advice and sectoral regulatory issues. Brigid is particularly well known in the energy and natural resources sectors, having acted for major participants on diverse projects as well as industry regulators.

Outside of straight legal practice, Brigid holds several directorships and also serves on the Attorney-General’s Legislation Design and Advisory Committee, tasked with ensuring new legislation is well designed and reflects fundamental constitutional principles.

Professional Memberships

Institute of Directors

New Zealand Wind Energy Association

Straterra

Energy Resources Aotearoa

Clients

Rio Tinto

Yinson Renewables

Parkwind NV

Work Highlights

Recent highlights include acting on New Zealand Aluminium Smelters’ 2024 electricity negotiations including groundbreaking demand response arrangements, multiple wind farm and solar farm negotiations, and exploring the potential for offshore wind in New Zealand including participating in the design of the regulatory regime for offshore renewable energy.

Industry Sector Expertise

• M&A, business restructuring and recapitalisation

• Overseas investment in New Zealand

• Commercial & contract law

• Company law and corporate governance

• Electricity and gas industry regulation

• Electricity and gas procurement (including CfDs, PPAs, derivatives)

• Electricity and gas transmission and distribution

• Renewable energy projects, including wind, solar and BESS

• Petroleum and minerals exploration and mining, including permit applications and blocks offers

• Joint ventures, farm-ins and related contractual arrangements

• Procurement and tendering advice and negotiations

• Climate change and emissions trading

Expert in these Jurisdictions

New Zealand

Languages Spoken

English, French, Spanish and Italian

Experience

Partner, Greenwood Roche 2010 –

Partner, Chapman Tripp 1996 – 2010

Principal, Chapman Tripp 1995 – 1996

Solicitor, Chapman Tripp 1986 – 1996 (with 2 years’ absence overseas)

Graduate lawyer, Clifford Chance (Paris) 1985 – 1986

Chair, Energy Law Association

Member of Energy Resources Aotearoa, NZ Wind Energy Association, Straterra, Institute of Directors, lapsed member of AMPLA,

Member of the Legislation Design and Advisory Committee

Recommended as a leading practitioner by Legal Media Group Guide to World’s Leading Energy and Natural Resources Lawyers, Who's Who Legal (Energy, Natural Resources and Mining), Asia/Pacific Legal 500 and Chambers Asia Pacific