Kim Francis
LLB(Hons)/BA, Victoria University of Wellington
LLM(Dist), University College London (2010)
Admitted to the Bar: 2001 (New Zealand); 2005 (England and Wales)
Kim is an associate in the firm's General Litigation team, specialising in commercial and regulatory disputes. Kim has over 10 years' experience in complex civil litigation in New Zealand and internationally.
Kim joined Meredith Connell in 2010 after completing his LLM at University College London. From 2005 to 2010, Kim practised in London in international commercial arbitration (predominantly at international law firm Dewey & LeBoeuf), specialising in multi-jurisdictional disputes, including construction, joint venture/shareholder and fraud claims. From 2001 to 2004 Kim practised in New Zealand in a leading national firm, and a specialist boutique firm, focusing on commercial, securities, tax and insolvency disputes.
Areas of Expertise
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International commercial litigation and arbitration
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Competition and trade practices law
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Insolvency proceedings
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Company and securities regulatory litigation
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Complex construction disputes
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Civil fraud proceedings, including urgent injunctive relief
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Criminal prosecutions
Examples of Work
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Junior counsel of the Commerce Commission on a bifurcated claim for pecuniary penalties against eight major global airlines for price-fixing (Commerce Commission v Air New Zealand Ltd & Ors).
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Acting on judicial proceedings in relation to a resource management consent.
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Lead associate on a US$1 billion international arbitration concerning a warranty claim arising out of a US$5.5 billion deal for the acquisition of a telecommunciations group.
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Lead associate in a US$180 million civil fraud claim in the English Commercial Court, including an application for a stay on the basis of an arbitration clause (Abu Dhabi Investment Company v H Clarkson & Co Ltd [2006] 2 Lloyd's Rep 381).
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Lead associate and junior counsel on successful international arbitration claims valued at US$500 million arising out of shareholder disputes, and subsequent steps to enforce awards including successfully seeking freezing orders.
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Representing multinational clients in international arbitration proceedings arising from landmark construction projects in Dubai, London and Russia.
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While in New Zealand from 2001 to 2004, Kim regularly appeared before the courts, and also assisting counsel on a wide range of civil litigation, including commercial disputes (Bagnall v Mobil Oil [2001] UKPC 57; Transpower v Meridian Energy [2001] 3 NZLR 700); insolvency disputes (Lower v Traveller [2005] 3 NZLR 479); civil fraud claims (Baxter v RMC Group plc [2003] 1 NZLR 304); tax challenge proceedings; construction disputes; and securities litigation (lthaca (custodians) Ltd v Perry Corp [2003] 2 NZLR 216 (HC)); [2004] 1 NZLR 731 (CA); [2004] 2 NZLR 182 (leave)).
Contacts
- DDI:+64 9 336 7727
- Email:kim.francis@meredithconnell.co.nz
- Download vcard