Partner, Auckland

Scott Abel

Scott Abel

Profile

Scott specialises in insolvency and debt restructuring, corporate and secured finance, and specialist personal property security and credit recovery advice.  He advises and has acted for domestic and foreign banks, financial institutions, insolvency professionals and other organisations on receiverships, liquidations, administrations and workouts.

He is particularly recognised by the market for his leading expertise in Personal Property Securities (PPS) law, often advising banks, insolvency practitioners and other firms and barristers on complex PPS matters.

Scott also leads our financial regulatory practice in Auckland and frequently provides advice to domestic and offshore financial institutions, regulators, financial service providers and FinTech enterprises on financial product and conduct legislation (consumer and wholesale), licensing and prudential supervision requirements, AML/CFT compliance and creditor enforcement regulation.

He regularly writes and presents papers on a range of insolvency, financial regulatory and credit enforcement topics, and is a contributing editor to Heath & Whale on Insolvency, New Zealand's leading insolvency law text. 

In 2015, he became the first New Zealander to pass the INSOL Global Insolvency Practice Course and be recognised as a Fellow of INSOL International.

  • Recognised by IFLR1000 as a highly regarded lawyer for banking and finance, and restructuring and insolvency
  • Fellow of INSOL International
  • Member of RITANZ
  • Member of the Banking and Financial Services Law Association (BFSLA)


Work highlights

Advising regulators and industry bodies

in connection with the review and reform of financial services regulation and crisis management tools

Acting for offshore financial product providers

in connection with the introduction of new financial products to the NZ market

Acting for consumer lenders

in relation to compliance with the requirements of the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act 2003 and associated legislation

Acting for McGrath Nicol

as administrators and liquidators of the Kumfs and Ziera Shoes Group

Acting for BDO

as administrators and liquidators of the Arrow Construction Group

Acting for KordaMentha

as administrators and deed administrators of the Solid Energy Group