Bio
Sam Wilson is a corporate and commercial partner at Anthony Harper, advising New Zealand businesses on complex transactions and their day-to-day legal needs. His practice covers mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, capital raisings, shareholder arrangements, employee share schemes and commercial contracting. Sam has experience across a number of sectors, including technology, financial services, and food and beverage.
Sam works closely with founders, business owners, and management teams navigating significant decisions - whether that's buying or selling a business, structuring equity arrangements, or working through the legal issues that arise as a business grows. He is known for practical, straightforward advice and for being genuinely invested in his clients' outcomes.
Recognition
- Legal 500 Asia-Pacific, Corporate and M&A, Next Generation Partner, 2024-2026
- IFLR1000, M&A, Rising Star Partner, 2024-2025
- Legal 500 Asia-Pacific, Corporate and M&A, Rising Star, 2022-2023
- IFLR1000, Corporate and M&A, Rising Star Partner, 2023
- New Zealand Law Awards, Young Private Practice Lawyer of the Year, Finalist, 2019
Qualifications
- LLB, BSc – University of Otago
- Admitted in New Zealand – 2011
Work highlights
- Advised Trustees Executors on the sale of its private wealth business to Perpetual Guardian (2024), its custody and investment accounting business to Apex Group (2025) and its corporate supervision business to Perpetual Guardian (2026).
- Advised the Donaghys on its sale to Farmlands Co-operative.
- Advised Breen Construction on the adoption of its company-wide employee share scheme.
- Advised on Moxion on its sale to Autodesk (NASDAQ).
- Advised Xtend-Life on its sale to Masthead Investments.
- Advised STILL on its purchase of Metro Media.
- Advised start-ups like Komodo Wellbeing, Tradify, Swallowing Technologies, Multitudes and Digital Confectioners and others on their capital raisings.
- Advised Mainland Capital on its syndicate and fund structuring.
- Advised SKOPE on its key supply arrangements with customers like Asahi, BP and Z Energy.
