Special Counsel, Wellington
Brannavan Gnanalingam
Contact
- Wellington office
- DDI +64 4 498 7300
- M +64 22 353 3500
Profile
Brannavan specialises in property and construction.
Brannavan has been involved in large scale property acquisitions and infrastructure projects, including negotiating large scale development agreements and construction contracts (including the full suite of NZS documents and FIDIC Yellow Book). He has also been involved in the negotiation of easements, licences, leases, sale and purchase agreements, residential developments, development finance, and providing detailed advice in respect of seismic issues, Māori land, COVID-19 implications, force majeure, the Public Works Act 1981, and trespass. He also specialises in property disputes, and has been involved when litigation, insolvency or debt recovery involve property and/or construction (including appearing in the Māori Land Court, High Court, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court, and arbitration).
- Brannavan is listed as a 'leading associate' for real estate and construction by Legal 500
Experience
Sector / Expertise
Work highlights
Acting for the Department of Internal Affairs (Archives)
in the negotiation of a development agreement, long-term lease, and ancillary agreements (construction contracts, easements, licences) for the new National Archives Building in Wellington (Te Rua), called "one of the most significant public buildings in our time"
Acting for Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
for its new Biodiversity Research Centre
Acting for Tauranga City Council
in its Te Manawataki o Te Papa partnership with mana whenua, including the establishment and sale and leaseback to a new Council-Controlled Organisation for its civic redevelopment
Acting for the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle, with negotiating landowner agreements for Māori land and relocation of marae in the Hawke's Bay and Tairāwhiti
Appearing in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Court, arbitration, expert determination, and the Māori Land Court, on a number of property cases (judicial review, Treaty of Waitangi, rent reviews, caveats, mortgage enforcement, make good disputes, accretion and erosion, Māori land)
including Ririnui v Landcorp and Others, Karaitiana v Waka Kotahi – Parahaki Island, ANZ Bank New Zealand Limited v Unka, and Jaques v Registrar General of Land
Acting for the Department of Corrections
in the Accelerated Capacity Project at Hawke's Bay Regional Prison and the design-side for Christchurch Men's Prison