STEPHEN FRANKS

Principal

Stephen Franks is a nationally known lawyer, expert in company and securities law, and law reform.

After early general practice he spent two years in the Office of the Ombudsmen then joined Chapman Tripp in 1979, became a partner in 1981 and served as Chairman of the firm's National Board. He had six years in Parliament, then four back as a consultant with Chapman Tripp before establishing in July 2009 a specialty law firm, Franks & Ogilvie (Commercial and Public Law Limited) to focus on the intersection of government and commerce.

Stephen ran a vigorous campaign for election in 2008 as the National Party candidate for Wellington Central but the seat was retained by Labour.

He's been a member of the Securities Commission, the Council of the IOD, and the NZ Stock Exchange's Market Surveillance Panel. Last year he served on the Minister of Energy's expert advisory group on the electricity market structure.

He advised the New Zealand Dairy Board on the route to the creation of Fonterra, the Ministry of Commerce in drafting the Electricity Industry Reform Act, Telecom New Zealand during its privatisation and initial international public offering and the World Bank on legal aspects of corporatisation and privatisation.

Other current interests include a 2,000ha manuka and grazing block, mountain biking, and kayaking. Stephen is married to Catharine and they have four young adult children.

For a more detailed resume of work experience and qualifications click here.

Rob Ogilvie

Principal

Rob has over twenty years experience as a commercial lawyer, including 12 years as in-house counsel at Telecom New Zealand.

Rob started his legal career with four years general practice in Wellington before moving to Chapman Tripp in 1989. After time overseas in 1994 he spent 18 months in general practice in Auckland before joining Telecom as in-house counsel in 1996. He left Telecom in 2008 to travel with his family before joining Stephen Franks in establishing Franks & Ogilvie in 2009.

Rob has extensive legal experience in New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific dealing with a wide range of commercial, corporate and regulatory issues and negotiations. These include commercial agreements of all kinds, joint ventures and other relationships, outsourcing, technology supply arrangements, corporate finance and governance, disputes and dispute resolution, and regulation and competition. In 2007/8 Rob led Telecom's make or break separation negotiations with the New Zealand Government and regulatory agencies.

Rob understands how corporate decisions are made, and how legal advice can help.

Rob has a particular interest in leading or assisting complex high stakes negotiations to resolve seemingly intractable problems. He has many years experience in commercial and regulatory negotiation, honed both by training at Harvard and personal interest.

When leading negotiations, Rob is comfortable with both compromise and conflict. His flexible strategies have, on many occasions and even in the most difficult circumstances, achieved good outcomes for his clients with suppliers, customers, partners and regulatory agencies.

Other interests include family, spear-fishing, tramping and reading history. Rob is married to Lucy and they have two teenage children, Kate and Calum. He also has a family dog named Beau.

For a more detailed resume of work experience and qualifications click here.

Nikki pender

Consultant

Nikki holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Victoria University of Wellington and a Master of Administrative Law and Policy from the University of Sydney. She qualified as a lawyer in New Zealand in 1989 and was admitted as a lawyer in New South Wales and the Commonwealth of Australia in 1995.

Nikki is an experienced advocate, specialising in the following areas:

Public Law
Competition and Consumer Law
Building & Construction law
Education law
Inquiries and investigations
Victims Rights Advocacy
Regulatory enforcement

Nikki worked at the Crown Law Office from 1988 to 1994 as an Assistant Crown Counsel and Crown Counsel, representing the government primarily in public and commercial/regulatory litigation. Since then, she has frequently crossed the private/public divide: from advising business clients on their government interactions to acting for regulatory agencies, including the NSW Crime Commission, NSW Roads and Traffic Authority and NZ Commerce Commission.

Nikki created and runs the witness familiarisation programme, I, Witness, and is one of the teachers of the NZ Law Society’s Introduction to High Court Civil Litigation entry level programme. Nikki is an accredited NLP practitioner and has studied Spiral Dynamics Integral both in New Zealand and the USA.

Off-duty, Nikki likes to hang out with family and friends, particularly her partner Steve and their daughter Phoebe. She also loves to dance, read, cook and knit (yes, that’s right, knit!) and is an avid follower of politics and social issues.

Some of Nikki’s cases include:

McVicar v District Court at Wellington [2011] NZHC 20
Boscawen v Attorney General [2008] NZHC 949; [2009] NZCA 9
A v NZ Parole Board & McNamara [2008] NZAR 703
Air New Zealand v Commerce Commission (No 6) (2004) 11 TCLR 347
Commerce Commission v Grenadier Real Estate Ltd [2004] 2 NZLR 186
Brambles New Zealand Ltd v Commerce Commission (2003) 10 TCLR 868
Nikoo v Removal Review Authority [1994] NZAR 509
Gholami v Minister of Immigration [1994] NZAR 257
Customs Agents Wellington Ltd v Comptroller of Customs [1994] 2 NZLR 759
Comptroller of Customs v Martin Square Motors Ltd [1993] 3 NZLR 289

PAM McMILLAN

Solicitor

Pam joined Franks & Ogilvie in October 2009. She completed her LLB(Hons) at Victoria University in 2008 and was admitted to the bar in October 2009.

Pam's previous career is as a law librarian. After completing her BA(Hons) at the University of Waikato and Diploma of Librarianship at Victoria University, she spent five years at Waikato University as a research librarian. Following a short time at AgResearch, she moved to Wellington and has worked with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Department for Courts and the Law Commission. Following this she moved to Chen Palmer in 2006 as a library/research manager and later on as a law clerk until she left there to join Franks & Ogilvie in 2009.

Pam's background as a law librarian has given her extensive skills as a legal researcher and a good eye for detail. Her experience working in a number of public sector environments has exposed her to a variety of people and working styles. Pam has a particular interest in public law and is keen to learn more about commercial law.

Pam is married to Jason and they have two children, Hayden and Natasha. Apart from spending time doing family activities, Pam enjoys playing squash and is learning pilates.

Jordan Williams

Solicitor

Jordan studied at Victoria University and Bucerius Law School in Hamburg, Germany. He joined Franks & Ogilvie after returning from his overseas study in January 2010. Jordan has focused his study on commercial law and alternative dispute resolution and has an LLB and BCA with accounting major from Victoria University of Wellington. He was admitted to the Bar in August 2010.

Jordan's work experience in Wellington has included two years in the finance team at the New Zealand Lotteries Commission, and numerous research roles for Members of Parliament.

Jordan loves the Hawke's Bay outdoors. His hobbies including hunting, fishing, sailing and travel. His other interests include cooking and spending time with his nieces and nephew. He would like to learn how to scuba dive.