AJPark

Mark is a partner in our commercial team. He is based in our Wellington office and advises clients on a wide range of commercial and corporate matters with an emphasis on technology.

Mark's clients include:

• major listed New Zealand companies;
• government departments;
• CRIs;
• Universities;
• SME's;
• a variety of early stage companies, particularly those operating in the technology space.
   

He is currently or has recently acted for clients such as Inland Revenue, Fonterra, Air New Zealand, Pumpkin Patch, MTV/Nickelodeon, Massey University, Industrial Research Limited, The Warehouse, PGG Wrightson, and the Bank of New Zealand.

Recent examples of Mark's work include:

• advising on complex cross border licence agreements;
• drafting and negotiating a range of local and cross border agreements for the manufacture, distribution or supply of products;
• drafting and negotiating joint venture and other collaborative agreements involving both private sector and public sector entities;
• drafting and negotiating major ICT system supply and services agreements on behalf of clients including government departments and listed companies;
• advising on IT and telecommunications outsourcing agreements;
• drafting and negotiating franchise agreements for a range of franchisor clients and advising on disclosure documentation and franchise code compliance;
• advising a major listed company on international franchising, including entry into the Chinese market via franchise arrangements and the myriad of regulatory and administrative requirements required to satisfy Chinese authorities;
• working with clients to understand the impact of international competition laws on their IP licensing structures;
• working with clients on different types of licensing structure to make their transactions tax efficient;
• advising Universities and government departments on their IP policies;
• advising early stage companies on their corporate structure and their general commercial agreements including shareholders' agreements and terms of trade;
• advising both vendors and investors on due diligence, particularly in relation to investment in technology intensive businesses.

Before joining A J Park, Mark worked for commercial law firms Simpson Grierson in New Zealand and Mallesons Stephen Jaques in Australia.  Prior to that he worked as in-house technology counsel for Citigroup in London.

Mark is a member of the Intellectual Property Society of Australia and New Zealand and is a committee member of the New Zealand arm of the Licensing Executives Society.

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