Tompkins Wake is a New Zealand law firm, headquartered in Hamilton, New Zealand with offices also in Auckland, Rotorua and Tauranga. The firm was founded as Tompkins and Wake in Hamilton on 22 June 1922 by Lance Tompkins and Cecil Barry Wake (known as Barry Wake).
History
Tompkins was a prominent lawyer in Hamilton. In 1958, he was appointed a Queen's Counsel. In 1963, he was called to the Supreme Court.
Sir David Tompkins (Lance Tompkins' son), studied from 1947 to 1952 and graduated from the then University of New Zealand with an LLB. He was also a partner in Tompkins Wake, was made a QC, and then sat as a High Court Judge in Auckland. Sir David was Chancellor of the University of Waikato from 1981 to 1985.
While the firm still bears its founders' names, it did become Tompkins, Wake, Paterson and Bathgate during the 1960s through to the 1980s when it returned to Tompkins Wake.
The firm famously launched the "Case for Hamilton" in 2009, threatening to sue the rest of New Zealand because it was difficult to recruit lawyers.
In November 2010 Tompkins Wake acquired Swarbrick Dixon to create Hamilton's largest law firm. The firm then opened its Auckland office in 2012 and in November 2014 Tompkins Wake merged with Davys Burton in Rotorua.
Awards and recognition
2016
New Zealand Law Awards Finalist – Mid Market Deal of the Year
2017
Best Lawyers 2017 – Robert Bycroft, leading authority in Biotechnology Law
New Zealand Law Awards Finalist – Mid Size Law Firm of the Year
New Zealand Law Awards Finalist – Consumer, Media and Tech Deal of the Year
2018
The Legal 500 Asia Pacific – Leading Firm, Corporate M& A, Projects and Resource Management (Tier 3) The Legal 500 Asia Pacific – Recommended Lawyers, Bridget Parham, Bryce Davey, Mark Renner, Phil Taylor, Robert Bycroft, Theresa Le Bas, Tom Arieli Best Lawyers 2018 – Robert Bycroft, leading authority in Biotechnology Law New Zealand Law Awards Finalist – Mid Size law Firm of the Year New Zealand Law Awards Finalist – Employer of Choice (51–100 Lawyers) New Zealand Law Awards Finalist – Mid-Market Deal of the Year
2019
The Legal 500 Asia Pacific – Leading Firm, Corporate M& A (Tier 4), Projects and Resource Management (Tier 3) The Legal 500 Asia Pacific – Recommended Lawyers, Bridget Parham, Bryce Davey, Marianne Mackintosh, Mark Renner, Philip Monahan, Phil Taylor, Robert Bycroft, Theresa Le Bas, Tom Arieli Chambers and Partners, Asia Pacific – Liz Lim, Recognised Practitioner, Banking and Finance, New Zealand Best Lawyers 2019 – Robert Bycroft, leading authority in Biotechnology Law New Zealand Lawyer, 2019 Innovative Law Firm, Winner Asialaw Profiles - Notable Firm, Real Estate and Construction Law Asialaw Profiles - Scott Ratuki - Notable Practitioner, Construction Law New Zealand Law Awards Winner - Mid-Size Law Firm of the Year New Zealand Law Awards Winner - Managing Partner of the Year (<100 Lawyers), Jon Calder New Zealand Law Awards Finalist - Mid-Market Deal of the Year New Zealand Law Awards Finalist - Employer of Choice (51-100 Lawyers) International Financial Legal Review (IFLR 1000), Notable Firm, Banking and Finance