Harmos Horton Lusk advised NYSE listed Unity Software on its acquisition of Weta Digital Limited’s digital assets for US$1.625 billion. Weta Digital is a New Zealand-based creator and innovator of visual effects and animation for a wide variety of award-winning movies and television shows, such as Avatar, Black Widow, Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, Planet of the Apes, The Suicide Squad, and more. It was co-founded by Sir Peter Jackson, who continues to be a majority shareholder along with his partner, Dame Fran Walsh.
Working with Unity’s US advisers Morrison & Foerster LLP, the firm advised Unity on all New Zealand corporate law aspects of the transaction, including seeking consent under New Zealand’s foreign investment regime. Harmos Horton Lusk worked alongside New Zealand specialist legal advisers Hudson Gavin Martin (advising on IT/IP matters), LangtonHudsonButcher (advising on employment law matters) and Matthews Law (advising on anti-trust issues). The Harmos Horton Lusk team that advised on the transaction was led by directors Annie Steel and Tim Mitchelson and included senior associate Emma Barnett and associates Michelle Van and Fletcher Boswell.
