Mills lane chambers

Mills Lane Chambers was established in October 2019 and is home to a diverse group of experienced barristers who actually enjoy the practice of law.

Barristers

Dr Andrew Butler KC
James Carruthers
Margaret Casey KC
Siobhan Cervin
Simon Cogan
Matthew Crawford
David Friar
Isaac Hikaka
Zane Kennedy KC
David Kraitzick
Zara Matheson
Liam McNeely
Lauren Milne
Jacob Parry
Hart Reynolds
Davey Salmon KC
Mark Sandelin
Oliver Skilton
Matt Toulmin
Ali van Ammers
Rosslyn Warren
Kate Milliken
Nicole Brothers

Contact

+64 9 332 1563
enquires@millslane.co.nz
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Level 27, QBE Tower
125 Queen Street,
Auckland 1010
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Zane Kennedy KC

Contact

zane.kennedy@millslane.co.nz+64 21 350 660+64 9 977 7907

Zane Kennedy is an experienced trial and appellate advocate with a distinguished career spanning some three decades. He has appeared as senior counsel in all civil courts in New Zealand, consistently delivering strategic and commercially focused outcomes for his clients.

Zane is a commercial litigator with particular experience in contract and commercial, companies, insurance and regulatory disputes. He is also experienced in managing large-scale litigation and has played pivotal roles in the conduct of a number of New Zealand’s largest cases.

Zane's legal acumen has previously earned him recognition as a Band 1 litigator by Chambers Global and Chambers Asia Pacific, and as a leading individual in dispute resolution by Asia Pacific Legal 500. His career includes 16 years as a civil litigation partner at the national law firm Minter Ellison Rudd Watts before he joined the Bar in 2019. In 2024, Zane's contributions to the legal field were acknowledged with his appointment to the rank of King’s Counsel.

Notable Cases and Experience

Commercial and Companies Litigation

Cayman Spectrum (NZ) Co & Everest Wireless Partners LP v Spark New Zealand Trading Limited [2024] NZHC 107

Senior counsel for Spark, New Zealand’s largest telecommunications company, defending a significant equity-based claim arising out of its acquisition of radio spectrum in late 2015. The case is being heard on the High Court commercial panel and has been split between liability and quantum with the liability trial taking place over two weeks in November2023. Spark prevailed on both its defence and counterclaim. The liability judgment has now been appealed to the Court of Appeal with a separate quantum trial on Spark’s counterclaim expected to be heard later in 2024.
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Talley’s Group Limited v Biomex Trustees Limited and MacLab (NZ) Limited. Judgment pending

Senior counsel for the defendants in a high-profile multi-million-dollar contractual dispute which centred on the proper interpretation of the terms of a joint venture agreement entered into between MacLab, an Australian-owned nutraceutical company, and one of the dominant players in New Zealand’s mussel industry, Talley’s Group Ltd. The matter proceeded to a three-week trial in November2023, which was complex in terms of both the factual evidence and the expert accounting evidence relating to Talley’s alleged losses.
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Blue Reach Services Ltd v Spark New Zealand Trading Ltd [2019] NZCA 2, [2019] NZSC 65

Senior counsel for Spark in respect of this claim for damages of more than $10m arising out of an allegedly misleading and deceptive clearance application to the Commerce Commission. Spark was successful in striking out the proceeding based on a statutory privilege under s106 of the Commerce Act, which effectively conferred immunity from civil suit in respect of information provided to the Commission under the Act. This was a novel point that had not previously been considered by the courts. The strike-out was upheld by the Court of Appeal and, after a defended leave hearing, the Supreme Court declined leave to appeal.
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The Mainzeal directors’ duties litigation [2023] NZSC 113

Junior counsel for the plaintiff liquidators in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. Shared the cross-examination in the High Court and the advocacy in all three courts.
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Beach Energy Resources NZ (Kupe) Ltd v Genesis Energy Ltd

Counsel for Beach (an Australian listed energy company) in this gas supply contract dispute involving more than $100m that went to arbitration. Beach wholly succeeded in its claim.
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Parkinson v O’Brien and General Dynamics Corporation Ltd [2021] NZCA 309

Senior counsel on an appeal against a derivative action order under s165 of the Act leading to substantive proceedings alleging breach of directors’ duties.
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Bank of New Zealand v Lothian Partners Capital Limited and Ors [2022] NZHC 2489

Senior counsel for BNZ in a particularly complex debt claim exceeding $70m and a counterclaim against the Bank for in excess of $33m. The matter proceeded to a three-day summary judgment hearing on the Bank’s claim in 2022. The Bank was found to be successful in a substantial judgment exceeding 100 pages in length. The matter is currently awaiting judgment from the Court of Appeal following the appeal hearing in 2023.
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Safety & Medical Manufacturers Limited v the Ministry of Health and Health New Zealand (Te Whatu Ora) – proceedings ongoing

Senior counsel for the plaintiff in a claim filed against the Ministry of Health and Te Whatu Ora in 2024 arising from alleged breaches of contractual supply arrangements for PPE, primarily face masks. Damages run into the millions of dollars.
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Insurance and Brokers

Counsel for an international insurance broker in a major arbitration claim for $528million

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Counsel for Aon New Zealand in respect of a claim brought by Lyttleton Port Company Ltd for $185m.

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QBE Insurance (International) Ltd v Wild South Holdings Ltd and Maxim Fashions Ltd [2014] NZCA 447 & HHR CHRISTCHURCH NTL LTD V CRYSTAL IMPORTS LTD [2015] NZCA 283

HHR Christchurch NTL Ltd v Crystal Imports Ltd [2015] NZCA 283. Senior counsel for a large Christchurch commercial property owner on multiple claims arising out of the Christchurch earthquake sequence which went to the Court of Appeal on common novel construction issues.
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Regulatory

Fullarton & Ors v Arowana International Ltd & Ors

Junior counsel in a class action brought against the directors of the failed listed entity, Intueri Education Group Ltd, alleging breaches of the Securities Act 1978, the Securities Markets Act 1988 and the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013 seeking damages in excess of $75m. Mike Ring KC is senior counsel.
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Commerce Commission v Spark New Zealand Trading Ltd [2019] NZDC 7801

Counsel for Spark in respect of a prosecution by the ComCom under the Fair Trading Act 1986 and subsequent penalty hearing.
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Two Degrees Mobile Limited v Commerce Commission & Ors, Spark New Zealand Trading Ltd v Commerce Commission [2017] NZHC 238

Senior counsel for Two Degrees on an urgent interim injunction application, heard together with a corresponding application brought by Spark, against the Commission, Vodafone and Sky TV to restrain a proposed merger between Vodafone and Sky TV pending any challenge to a clearance decision by the Commission.
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zane.kennedy@millslane.co.nz
+64 21 350 660
+64 9 977 7907

Zane Kennedy is an experienced trial and appellate advocate with a distinguished career spanning some three decades. He has appeared as senior counsel in all civil courts in New Zealand, consistently delivering strategic and commercially focused outcomes for his clients.

Zane is a commercial litigator with particular experience in contract and commercial, companies, insurance and regulatory disputes. He is also experienced in managing large-scale litigation and has played pivotal roles in the conduct of a number of New Zealand’s largest cases.

Zane's legal acumen has previously earned him recognition as a Band 1 litigator by Chambers Global and Chambers Asia Pacific, and as a leading individual in dispute resolution by Asia Pacific Legal 500. His career includes 16 years as a civil litigation partner at the national law firm Minter Ellison Rudd Watts before he joined the Bar in 2019. In 2024, Zane's contributions to the legal field were acknowledged with his appointment to the rank of King’s Counsel.

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