Barry has specialist expertise in a wide range of construction & engineering, infrastructure and real estate development matters. He has experience acting for owners, contractors, consultants and tenants in respect of major developments in New Zealand and internationally and across a variety of project structures and delivery models.
He understands the key commercial drivers behind projects and documents, allowing him to deliver a flexible, commercial and client-focused approach to get a major project over the line.
Before joining Greenwood Roche in 2012, Barry spent over five years practising in the Projects team of Herbert Smith Freehills, Sydney and over four years practising in London, gaining extensive experience acting for parties in various roles across large scale development projects, construction and infrastructure projects, joint ventures, property funds, property acquisition and disposals, major leasing and subdivisions.
Greenwood Roche has assisted Mighty River Power with the procurement and negotiation of contracts for its plant refurbishment project at Aratiatia
Austria-based Andritz was awarded the contract to provide work on three generating units at the 78-MW Aratiatia hydroelectric station.
The Greenwood Roche team for this project comprised partner Barry Walker and special counsel Adrian Doherty. Barry and Adrian are experienced international construction project lawyers, comfortable using a variety of international standard documents, including FIDIC, to assist in smooth cross-border negotiations.
Australasian utility contractor Electrix, part of McConnell Dowell, has been acquired by French construction giant VINCI Energies. Electrix has approximately 2,000 employees located in New Zealand and Australia and provides a range of maintenance and construction services for utility providers.
Greenwood Roche assisted VINCI in respect of New Zealand aspects of the transaction, working closely with VINCI Energies’ international legal teams from Baker McKenzie (Sydney) and Bolze Associés (Paris). Greenwood Roche is proud to have worked with VINCI and its legal team on this project.
About VINCI:
Housing New Zealand has recently entered into new contracts with housing maintenance providers.
Greenwood Roche acted for Housing New Zealand in relation to its housing maintenance contracts and associated trust accounting arrangements with the main contractors and their banks.
Greenwood Roche assisted Mitre 10 with its new head office project in Auckland
Greenwood Roche acted for Mitre 10 in respect of the procurement and engagement of the contractor and consultant team for its new head office and support centre in Albany.
The facility will comprise approximately 7,000 m² at 65-67 Corinthian Drive, Albany, Auckland. It is being developed by Mitre 10 itself and is due for completion in late 2016.
The Greenwood Roche team for the project included partner Barry Walker and special counsel Adrian Doherty.
As part of New Zealand Post’s strategy to release capital from its corporate properties, it sold the landmark New Zealand Post House in Wellington to listed commercial property company Argosy Property in 2013.
We acted for New Zealand Post on the sale and leaseback of New Zealand Post House and on the negotiation of a comprehensive development agreement committing the purchaser to undertake a $40 million extensive redevelopment of the building.
The sale, for $60 million, was one of the single largest commercial real estate deals completed in Wellington in 2013.
As a long-standing legal provider for Beca, Greenwood Roche recently led negotiations between Beca and Precinct Properties for the relocation of Beca House (Beca’s Auckland Office and Global Headquarters) to a new 14,000m² office premises as the anchor tenant in Precinct Properties’ latest development at 126 Halsey Street, Wynyard Quarter.
These negotiations continued our involvement in the project, working alongside Beca and Colliers to develop a market engagement strategy and assessing options that helped secure a better, faster and more efficient transaction.
Don Lyon, Chief Strategy & Operations Officer at Beca: “[The team at Greenwood Roche was] practical, collaborative and constructive, which on a complex deal with short timeframes, assisted greatly to reach agreement, on terms acceptable to its Board. Greenwood Roche were instrumental in developing a robust commercial strategy, then helping us negotiate a comprehensive and detailed Heads of Terms, that enabled us to discuss and resolve all major issues with the prospective landlord at the earliest possible time, giving confidence to our Board and significantly accelerating subsequent negotiations, once we progressed to a full Development Agreement, Agreement to Lease and Lease.”
A key focus for both Beca and Precinct was the performance of the building, including sustainability initiatives. The new building is designed to achieve a 6-star Green Star rating and a 5-star NABERSNZ rating.
The Greenwood Roche team was led by Barry Walker (Partner), Michael Bennett (Associate) and Ben Petersen (Lawyer), with specialist input from others within the firm.
The transaction was concluded swiftly and maintained programme for the project thanks to the collective efforts of Beca, Greenwood Roche, Colliers, Precinct Properties and Russell McVeagh.
Partner, Greenwood Roche 2015 –
Principal, Greenwood Roche 2013 – 2015
Senior Lawyer, Greenwood Roche 2012 – 2013
Senior Associate, Herbert Smith Freehills (Sydney) 2007 – 2012
Solicitor, Davies Arnold Cooper (London) 2002 – 2007
LLB (Southampton)
Admitted as a Solicitor of England and Wales
Admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales
DDI: +64 9 302 6115
Mobile: +64 21 569 721
Phone: +64 9 306 0490
Barry is primarily based in Auckland.
Physical: Hayman Kronfeld Building
Level 6
15 Galway Street Auckland 1010
Mail: PO Box 106006
Auckland 1143
Map: Open a Google map