Matt Smith will boost corporate law firm’s tech, electricity sector expertise.

Anthony Harper continues to strengthen two key speciality areas with the appointment of tech and electricity sector specialist Matt Smith to its partnership, effective immediately.

Smith has been with the firm for four years and, over that time, has completed a number of significant transactions for key national clients.

Anthony Harper has more than 140 staff across its Auckland and Christchurch offices, with teams of specialists with deep industry expertise and experience.

Managing partner Malcolm Hurley said Smith’s appointment reflected the high quality of his work and strong client outcomes. “Tech commercialisation and capital raising, infrastructure asset management, mergers and acquisitions, Software as a Service, and privacy/data protection are just some of the areas showing significant growth,” he said.

“Clients in need of these services need lawyers who can work at their pace, and quickly come up to speed with their priorities. At the same time, they need all the usual intellectual rigour and careful risk analysis that is at the heart of good practice. Matt brings that balance to the work.”

Smith said: “These areas of practice are evolving at a pace that demands an ongoing understanding of the environment, the ability to respond rapidly to changes in it, and to adapt to the working styles of individual clients.”

Border closures and disruptions of the past year have brought challenges for some clients, but significant opportunities for others.

“Covid has been a catalyst for transformational change, and tech companies with global potential [are] attracting keen interest from investors and buyers,” he said.

Data privacy and security concerns, optimising corporate structures, securing capital, sustainability and environmental impacts, and regulation of disruptive technologies are some key themes in the speciality work crossing his desk.

“In 2020, a lot of the focus was naturally around the immediate response to Covid. There is now greater emphasis on overall strategic direction, and we are seeing a lot of innovation, including some exciting new tech and organisations looking to move into new markets.”