Philip Monahan is a corporate partner in Tompkins Wake's Hamilton office. He acts for domestic and international companies, iwi and Māori organisations, and public sector clients, bringing careful commercial judgment to transactions where structural complexity and long-term relationships intersect. 

His practice spans iwi settlement structures, cross-border supply agreements and large-scale public sector contracts, with particular depth in electricity, infrastructure and telecommunications, sectors where deal structures carry more regulatory weight and complexity. What sets Philip apart is his ability to translate his corporate experience into commercially practical advice for businesses of every size. Clients value his ability to cut through complexity and distil issues to what actually needs to be decided.

His recent work includes:

• Structuring a bespoke limited partnership vehicle for a group of Bay of Plenty iwi to consolidate settlement funds and drive regional aquaculture development.
• Advising a national public transport authority on a suite of contracts exceeding NZD $100 million under NZTA's new PT-PPM procurement framework.
• Negotiating a cross-border master supply agreement between a New Zealand agritech company and a global animal health business, covering exclusivity, IP and minimum volume commitments.
• Providing ongoing strategic and regulatory advice to New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing on proposed structural reform of the industry.

Philip has been a Recommended Lawyer for Corporate and M&A in The Legal 500 Asia Pacific.

Philip leads Tompkins Wake's work with SME clients. In 2019 he was instrumental in establishing AdviSME, the firm's automated, AI-powered legal service for small and medium businesses, one of the first offerings of its kind from a New Zealand law firm. AdviSME gave New Zealand SMEs a new level of support through the pandemic, providing free triage and templated documents to remove barriers to recovery.

Philip has served on the boards of Waikato Racing Club and the Waikato Chamber of Commerce.

Other Credentials