About

Victoria is a founding partner of Kindrik Partners and one of New Zealand's top technology and commercial lawyers. Her practice spans commercial contracting, technology (including AI), and privacy and data protection. Victoria has worked internationally, in both Government and the private sector, and for customers and suppliers. This experience gives her unique insight into how deals done, the “pressure points” facing each party, and how to keep negotiations moving. Victoria’s practice includes advising suppliers and customers on all aspects of their contractual and technology transactions, both domestically and worldwide, including commercialising technology, the operation of digital platforms, public sector and institutional technology implementations, business critical projects, shaping contractual terms for AI-enabled solutions, and privacy and data protection compliance. She is pragmatic and outcomes focused. She brings together the commercial, strategic, and contractual threads to deliver deals that work. Her clients value how quickly she understands the heart of their business and how naturally she becomes an integral team member. Her advice is easy to action and she brings genuine business acumen to legal problems. Many clients are New Zealand's most ambitious tech companies and Victoria supports them at every stage of their growth.

Julie leads our Auckland office and has spent more than 25 years advising founders, shareholders, boards and investors on the transactions that define a company's growth, from early-stage capital raises through to later stage investment rounds and exit. She advises on venture financings, M&A, and the governance frameworks that are key to high growth companies, including shareholder agreements and employee share option schemes. Julie is known for commercial judgement and clear, practical advice, helping clients finalise deals and governance matters efficiently without losing sight of what matters long-term. Julie trained at a top-tier New Zealand firm before spending more than a decade in the corporate department of a major international law firm in London, giving her a depth of transactional experience that benefits clients on both international and domestic deals. She has been with Kindrik for more than 15 years and has worked on some of New Zealand’s most notable venture capital and M&A transactions in the tech sector. Clients value Julie's ability to move fast without cutting corners, delivering high-quality advice and documentation, and staying closely engaged through to completion.

Lee is a director at Kindrik Partners specialising in venture capital and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) for technology companies and investors. His practice includes advising on investments, M&A, joint ventures, share option schemes, venture debt, and general corporate advisory. His work covers deal structuring and negotiation, equity incentive design, and supporting clients on governance through their critical transactions and matters. Lee spent several years in the UK at an international law firm ranked tier 1 for venture capital (Chambers and Partners and Legal 500), before relocating to Singapore to establish that firm's Southeast Asian venture practice. This background gives Lee a distinctive, global perspective on venture capital and M&A transactions. It also shapes how he helps New Zealand companies and investors get deals done with both local and international counterparties. Lee is also part of the Kindrik team advising our Southeast Asian clients. Lee is an active contributor to the New Zealand startup and venture ecosystem, regularly presenting to companies and founders, and is part of the working group which developed the market standard AANZ templates. He combines sharp commercial judgment with technical expertise to focus on what actually matters. Lee has built a reputation among tech companies as a trusted advisor throughout their life cycle.

Averill is a senior commercial and technology lawyer who has worked in the technology and telecommunications sector for over 30 years, both in private practice and in-house, and for both customers and suppliers. This gives her a strong understanding of perspectives and drivers on all sides of a negotiation. Her practice covers commercial contracts, technology (including AI), telecommunications, privacy and data protection, and she has significant experience assisting NZ businesses expand offshore. This includes distribution, reseller and other channel partner agreements; implementation and SaaS/cloud agreements for enterprise customers and for startups dealing with enterprise customers, including regulated customers such as banks and insurers; manufacturing, product supply and OEM agreements; and cross-border data processing agreements. She takes time to get to know clients’ businesses and commercial drivers, and looks to add value by proactively sharing her knowledge and deal experience. Clients love her commercial approach, her relationship-building skills, and her commitment to ensuring that the outcome is the right one for the business.

Chris is a director at Kindrik Partners. He is based in Singapore and runs the Southeast Asia practice alongside Lee Bagshaw. Chris is one of Singapore’s most experienced and trusted technology focussed corporate lawyers, having been with Kindrik Partners since 2007 and heading up the Southeast Asian practice from 2017. His practice includes all forms of venture capital raising (including equity, SAFEs and other convertible securities, debt, and venture debt), buy and sell side M&A transactions, employee incentive plans, and corporate structuring and re-domiciles. Chris acts for many of Singapore’s leading venture backed tech companies and institutional investors. He is an active participant in Singapore’s tech ecosystem, including working closely with several of the country’s most prominent incubator and accelerator programs. Chris is commercial and pragmatic. He has a keen understanding of his client’s business and is focused on the key commercial and legal matters that capture the value of a transaction. His previous experience working for Deloitte provides additional commercial experience. Chris works closely with his clients at every stage of their journey and is quickly considered to be “part of the team”, often from the first formal financing through to exit.

Fiona advises NZ businesses on capital raising, corporate restructures, M&A transactions, and employee share schemes, and on the commercial, technology and privacy questions that come with growth. Before joining Kindrik, Fiona spent two years as a legal specialist in the Tokyo office of a multinational U.S. law firm. She came away with two pieces of advice that she still follows: a lawyer is ultimately a communicator, and always keep a well-stocked snack drawer. On any given day, Fiona can be helping one client face their first (or second or third) capital raise with confidence, and for another, negotiating a complex commercial research and development partnership. She has also helped international investors to invest into NZ businesses and to meet NZ regulatory requirements, including securing an individual exemption from the Financial Markets Authority to enable an international corporate group to offer their New Zealand team members the opportunity to participate in the group’s employee share scheme. Fiona’s approach is simple: hear you out on what you want to achieve and your concerns, help you get there while balancing the two, then get out of your way. Fiona’s style and approach can be summed up in three questions: What outcome are you trying to achieve? What is the most practical way to get there? How best do we communicate that?

Sam is an intermediate solicitor who works in Kindrik Partners’ Singapore and Auckland corporate teams on corporate governance (including share option plans), capital raising, mergers and acquisitions. He works with a range of clients across New Zealand and Southeast Asia, from early-stage startups to venture capital funds. Sam adopts a practical approach to corporate transactions and is passionate about making quality legal advice accessible to startups.

Rithi is a solicitor in Kindrik Partners’ Auckland corporate team. He advises founders, management teams and investors on capital raising, financing and M&A transactions, with a particular focus on the technology sector. His experience includes advising on transaction documents and helping to manage transactions through to completion. He also advises businesses on corporate governance matters, including shareholder arrangements and employee share option schemes. Rithi enjoys bringing technical precision and a commercial perspective to his work, and translating complex legal issues into clear, practical advice.

Hannah is a junior solicitor in Kindrik Partners’ Auckland corporate team. She works on capital raising and M&A. Hannah assists with due diligence, and drafting and reviewing governance and transaction documents. She is driven by curiosity and brings a solutions-oriented approach to each matter.

Bianca is the heart of our office, managing everything from accounts and billing to the day-to-day administration that keeps Kindrik Partners running smoothly. Her organisation, reliability and can-do attitude mean that nothing slips through the cracks. Bubbly, friendly and always ready to help, Bianca is a reassuring presence for the team.