1. Some examples of Dennis' and his teams' work in recent years include:
All the legal work for a software licensing arrangement between a New Zealand company and a foreign corporation. It is anticipated that the royalties from this arrangement will eventually be in the seven figures. The legal work included creating a tax effective structure to claim depreciation deductions on the value of the software.
All the legal work associated with transferring some tens of millions of dollars of assets from one group of companies to another group of companies to achieve certain family estate planning benefits and other objectives. The transactions were very complex, and included the transfer and licensing of some well known trademarks with a value in the millions.
Pioneered a new type of company, formed under the Companies Act 1993, which has the unusual feature of functioning effectively as an incorporated discretionary family trust, designed to ameliorate the effects of a capital gains tax in a foreign jurisdiction.
It is a matter of public record that Dennis represented the Taranaki Electricity Trust, the successor to the old Taranaki Electric Power Board, in its negotiations to finalise the merger of the Taranaki Electric Power Board and New Plymouth Energy, in which tens of millions of dollars of assets were at stake. He also acted for the Taranaki Electricity Trust in a High Court application by that Trust to make substantial and far reaching changes to its Deed of Trust in which it was successful.
All the legal work on restructuring a relatively high profile company which had fallen on hard times.
Acted on the disentangling of one large group of companies from another large group of companies, where millions of dollars of assets were involved.
All the legal work associated with acquiring a tax loss company and putting in place structures and contractual arrangements designed to use it in a tax effective way. The losses involved were in the tens of millions of dollars.
Acting on the acquisition of one of the largest office buildings in New Plymouth, and did the associated legal work for putting in place a tax effective ownership structure and a structure which did not require the payment of any stamp duty.
Carrying out a multi million dollar restructure of a group of companies, designed to accelerate a long term Agreement for Sale and Purchase and to achieve other objectives.
Preparing a number of international distribution and agency agreements.
Preparing the documentation to assign some $2.8m p.a. of income, which is a technically difficult type of transaction. The transaction did not proceed in the end for various reasons, but the accountants who briefed the work to Dennis commented that they considered he was the few lawyers in Taranaki capable of doing this type of tax work.
Acting on the formation of a multi-million dollar joint-venture for substantial exports to the USA.
Completing, in conjunction with one of the large Auckland/Wellington law firms, representing a substantial client in a major tax audit.
Acting for one of Taranaki’s largest retirement village operators in preparing and registering their Prospectus.
Representing a significant Taranaki group in defending a complex intellectual property claim of over $2m, which was settled for $150,000.
Retained by an American firm of Attorneys to combat infringement throughout NZ of a well-known international Trade Mark.
Acting on an 8-figure (i.e. $10 million - $99 million) share buy-out of one shareholder by another in a local group of companies.
Acting for the Waitara Leaseholders’ Association in their High Court challenge of a New Plymouth District Council decision to sell the freehold of the Waitara leaseholds to the Crown for use in a Treaty of Waitangi settlement. Although successful in the High Court, the decision was later over-turned on appeal.
It is a matter of public record that Dennis acted for the Taranaki Electricity Trust when it sold its Powerco shareholding for $80 million.
Recently settled a "loss of corporate opportunity" case, which included negotiating some complex restraints of trade clauses affecting tens of millions of dollars of revenue per annum.
Restructuring a substantial corporate group to improve its balance sheet ratios in a tax effective manner.
Representing the Plaintiffs in a class action of over 100 ground lessees who are suing their Local Authority landlord.
Representing the Plantiffs in a multiparty action seeking recovery from their financial advisors of their losses in various finance company collapses.
2. Reported Cases
These are court judgments which have been published because the publishing editors consider they have established a new legal principle or represent a novel interpretation of the law; or are otherwise legally significant decisions. Dennis King appeared as counsel:
