Anthony Harper

Erica has many years experience in the legal sector, including five years working in the Department for Courts and one year in the Department of Corrections before joining the Anthony Harper Settlement Services team.

Erica brings her knowledge and skills, essential in legal proceedings, to her work enabling her to manage settlements efficiently and accurately for our retirement village clients, and provide quality advice and documentation for resident entries and exits.

Katherine is a leading light in New Zealand's public law fraternity. An award winner, Katherine has worked in private practice as a commercial litigator and in the public sector (working with two Prime Ministers, New Zealand Police and Auckland Council). Katherine is recommended in the 2018 Legal 500 Asia Pacific where she is noted for her 'significant weight in public law matters'.

Katherine, an experienced litigator, heads up our Public Law Practice. She brings to the task a depth of legal experience in the interrelationships of commercial interests and public sector decision making and public policy.

She has managed large and complex multi-party disputes (private and public law) and inquiries. She specialises in public law advice and litigation, crossing the spectrum of central  and local government contexts.  She advises in relation to lawful decision-making in accordance with regulatory powers; how to influence the development of legislation impacting business; local authority, privacy, human rights and environmental law and judicial review. 

Katherine is experienced in crisis management, including health and safety breaches.

Her diverse background in the public and private sectors has provided her with a unique and balanced perspective. Her knowledge and insight allows her to skilfully navigate complex procedural and business critical matters.

She is a member of the Human Rights Review Tribunal.

Samantha has returned to Anthony Harper after several years away with a BA in English and Media and Communications, and, after a short stint in public service.  She is has recently completed the NZLS Legal Executive Diploma.

Samantha has more than 15 years experience working in legal environments in the Canterbury area, largely in residential conveyancing.  She has previously worked with Simon Marks in the retirement village area and is working towards specialising in residential conveyancing.

She has a sound knowledge of the Christchurch residential property market and, having lived in Christchurch for most of her life, she remains committed to the Christchurch rebuild and seeing the city back on its feet.

A love of travel has seen Sarah scale the Andes and view the majesty of the Northern lights.

Understanding the nuances of construction projects, from tendering and contract to possible disputes and litigation is important to ensure that projects run to schedule and within costs.

Sarah is able to bring her experience of construction law to bear on projects, whether commercial or residential, to help reduce the challenges faced by her clients and offer commercially savvy solutions to problems when they do arise.

Michelle works closely with Sylvia Cheah in all property related matters including: residential conveyancing, commercial conveyancing, apartment purchases and leases.  She
has a comprehensive understanding of the differing needs of individuals, companies and trust in relation to property purchase.

Michelle also provides commercial support in relation to company secretarial and trust administration matters.

Michelle relates well with clients to build trust and works efficiently to ensure transactions are completed smoothly and in a cost effective manner.

Jenny's passion for the retirement village sector drives her delivery of high-quality specialist services

From her training in the City of London, Jenny draws on her experience with property finance, compliance and general commercial law to deliver specialist advice to her chosen market sector of retirement villages and aged care. 

Having focused on this sector for over a decade, Jenny has developed an in-depth knowledge of the sector ranging from the law, to commercial practices and trends, to the people involved.  She works hard at keeping this knowledge up to date and maintaining those key connections.

It's the people in this field that she really enjoys.  Whether operators are commercial or not for profit, they all have a vested interest in ensuring that the services and facilities they offer are delivered to best standards.  Working with a variety of other service providers all pulling together to support those operators makes her job highly rewarding. 

Jenny works closely with other Anthony Harper specialists to provide hands-on and responsive services in complementary areas of law that relate to retirement villages.

Tim's strength lies in his ability to tailor property solutions that suit the commercial needs of his clients

Tim is named as a 'Leading Individual' in both the 2017 and 2018 Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guide. Clients referred to Tim as being 'pragmatic and hands on'. He is also recommended in the 2017 and 2018 Chambers and Partners Directory.

The commercial property world is a dynamic environment. Providing sound advice involves a clear understanding of the law. Providing effective advice, and adding value, also involves understanding what makes clients tick, and the trends of the market they are operating in.

Tim advises clients on a wide range of commercial property matters, including acquisitions and disposals, commercial developments and leasing, subdivisions and syndications.  He has expertise in regulatory compliance matters which are relevant to property transactions, in particular the Overseas Investment Act and New Zealand's financial markets legislation. Tim also has expertise in the hotel sector, and growing experience in social housing.

His expertise in commercial leasing and experience in dealing with issues arising in the post-earthquake environment in Christchurch meant that Tim was asked to assist with the 2013 revisions to the Property Council Office Lease.

Tim is a member of the Property Law Section of New Zealand Law Society, the Property Council of New Zealand and the NZ Green Building Council.

He has presented at various seminars for Property Council, New Zealand Law Society and other bodies on commercial leasing and development matters.

Jackie is a specialist employment lawyer with over 15 years' experience. She also has particular expertise in sports law.

Jackie has had extensive experience as an employment lawyer, including over 4 years in the United Kingdom practising as an in-house employment lawyer. She is skilled in all aspects of employment law, including senior executive employment issues, redundancy processes, personal grievances, disciplinary processes, employment agreements and dispute resolution. She is recommended in the 2018 Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guide.

She enjoys building close working relationships with her clients and has a reputation for providing sound, pragmatic employment and sports law advice.

Jackie is a Board Member of the Christchurch Metropolitan Cricket Association. She is a member of the Australian and New Zealand Sports Law Association (ANZSLA), the Human Resources Institute of New Zealand (HRINZ) and is a member of the Institute of Directors.

Laura joined the corporate advisory team for the summer after completing her studies at the University of Otago.

She works closely with her team assisting with business sale transactions, drafting commercial contracts and carrying out a wide variety of high level research.

Laura is an extreme nature enthusiast who loves hiking, running and practices yoga daily.

Pip is part of the banking and finance team advising clients on a wide range of matters. Pip is ranked as a 'Next Generation Lawyer' in the 2018 Legal 500 Asia Pacific and is recommended by clients for 'making complex legal issues easy to understand.'

Her background includes working on cross-border financing transactions for a 'Magic Circle' firm in the United Kingdom and in the in-house teams of a major UK clearing bank and an export credit agency.

Tim joined the Auckland Property team in late 2013 after a two year stint in London.  Prior to that he spent a number of years at one of New Zealand's largest law firms. 

He has extensive experience across a wide range of property matters, including commercial leasing, acquisitions and disposals, complex property developments and subdivisions.

Tim prides himself on giving practical commercial advice. The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2017 and 2018 Guides have recognised Tim as a 'Next Generation Lawyer' and clients welcome his 'excellent legal and practical advice'.

Michelle provides advanced, specialised legal services for retirement village and aged care developments and is recognised nationally as a leading practitioner in this field

As principal advisor to a number of retirement village operators, both commercial and not for profit, Michelle advises on ownership structures, operational matters affecting retirement villages, statutory compliance and property developments. Resident complaints, disputes and issues arising from community living, are increasingly a part of her practice.

Michelle also advises trustee companies in their role as statutory supervisors of retirement villages.

She advises on sales and acquisitions of retirement villages and on aged care facilities, including the preparation of presale information memoranda, agreements for sale and purchase, the preparation of due diligence reports and undertaking due diligence for large and small transactions.

Past directorships of two not for profit companies providing independent living for seniors in a supported environment have provided Michelle with particular insight into the interface between commercial and charitable imperatives.

Michelle has been a board member of the Retirement Villages Association of New Zealand for three years, an industry body that represents the interests of owners and operators of retirement villages. She is often called on to organise and present seminars to the profession and to the sector. She is passionate about sharing her specialist knowledge of the law in the retirement villages and aged care with other lawyers and sector representatives and has spoken at numerous conferences and education workshops on elder law. Recently, Michelle has authored a chapter on retirement villages and aged care law in a book on Elder Law in New Zealand.

After studying both law and spanish at University, Alec spent two summers with the firm on our summer clerkship programme.

In 2016, upon completion of his degree Alec joined the firm in our litigation team. He works closely with the partners and has gained valuable trial experience on civil, criminal and insolvency litigation.

Alec is a keen participant of the Blind Foundation's advocacy programme that focuses on creating a New Zealand accessible for all. He is also a keen cyclist and a black belt in Kung Fu.

Alex is a member of the corporate and commercial team. He has particular expertise in mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructuring, joint ventures, limited partnerships, corporate governance and constitutional matters, including shareholders' disputes.

As well as project based work, Alex regularly advises on a range of commercial legal matters, including consumer law and fair trading issues (particularly in relation to the automotive sector), commercial contracts including supply and procurement agreements, franchise and distribution agreements, sponsorship agreements and shareholder and joint venture agreements.

Alex also heads our automotive practice, providing legal support to vehicle manufacturers and dealers.

Alice is a member of the Banking & Finance team and acts for both banks and borrowers on a wide range of lending and financing matters.

Prior to joining Anthony Harper, Alice spent two years at a top tier firm in Auckland and has experience in the areas of transactional banking and financial services regulation.
 
She works closely with Grant Goldsmith in our speciality area of Banking & Finance.

Lythan gained her legal qualifications in England before an interest in marketing and communications, and a move to Switzerland, motivated a career transition into marketing communications and business development.

She brings a wealth of experience gained internationally and across industry sectors, including work for the Hong Kong government and professional service firms in South America, to bear upon Anthony Harper's business development and marketing activities.

Sylvia is passionate about property and provides pragmatic solutions to commercial issues.

She acts for a wide range of corporate, consortium and private investors in commercial and unit title acquisitions, subdivisions and high rise developments, approval under the Overseas Investment Act, rural and residential properties, leasing and sale of assets. Her experience with both developers and purchasers gives her the ability to identify the issues and suggest workable solutions.

She speaks English, Mandarin, Bahasa Malaysia and Taiwanese. Her legal experience and her cross cultural awareness has been instrumental in providing commercial advice to overseas investors and their local partners.

Sylvia is a member of the Property Law Section of the New Zealand Law Society and the ASEAN New Zealand Combined Business Association.

Ethelred joined the employment law team at Anthony Harper in June 2016. He is ranked in the 2018 Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guide and recommended for his 'sound
advice and has an ability to pinpoint the issues’ by clients.

He has broad in-house experience within public and private sectors in all aspects of employment relations, including collective bargaining, restructuring, disciplinary matters, drafting and interpreting agreements, legislative compliance and dispute resolution.
 
In addition to his legal qualification (LLB), Ethelred is also qualified in Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations (BCA).  He is able to utilise his experience of working directly with managers, human resources and payroll to provide pragmatic advice, anticipate potential issues, explore solutions and improve outcomes in the workplace.
 

Sarah is a member of the Corporate Advisory team and specialises in a wide range of corporate and commercial law matters, including mergers and acquisitions, divestments, intellectual property, venture capital, corporate governance and commercial contracts.

Sarah is solutions-orientated and combines her appreciation for her clients' goals with her commercial experience to achieve pragmatic commercial solutions.

In addition to her transactional work, Sarah also advises on a range of commercial contracts including manufacturing agreements, management and service agreements, IP licensing, IP transfer, joint ventures, and shareholders’ agreements.

Sarah also regularly advises New Zealand and offshore clients, and regularly acts as New Zealand counsel on Trans-Tasman matters advising on all aspects of the Companies Act and commercial legislation.

Yvonne joined our Trust and Asset Planning Team in March 2017.

Yvonne brings over 27 years of experience working in law firms.  This enables Yvonne to provide a high value of service to clients. 

She looks after our estate administration practice and assists with trust administration.

Gerard is in a unique position of being able to see RMA issues from both sides of the fence

When Gerard arrived in New Zealand from Northern Ireland he took a break from the law, working instead as a resource management planner for a local authority; a natural fit with his master's degree in Environmental law.  These five years gave him an insight into not only the New Zealand system, but also how things get done from a planner's point of view.

He has a real insider's view.  He has a deep understanding of the politics of local government, how the RMA operates from working inside the planning environment and is able to speak their language.

Gerard works with the other specialists within the firm to provide a cohesive, flexible and responsive service to clients.

Gerard's experience spans 18 years, and covers all aspects of development under the RMA,  including advising on the preparation of land use consent and private plan change applications, coordinating consultants for land development projects and appearing at local authority, Environment Court and High Court levels.

He is recommended in the 2016 Asia Pacific Legal 500 Directory.

Michelle moved to New Zealand from Edinburgh, Scotland in September 2016, having a desire to bring up her daughter in New Zealand's great outdoors.

She is a qualified accountant with over 10 years experience in a variety of challenging senior leadership roles in both financial services and small/mid size private companies.  Michelle has extensive experience in financial control and enjoys working with colleagues to simplify processing and ensuring a good level of control is achieved and met.

Megan has worked in corporate commercial practice in New Zealand and Great Britain, in industries as diverse as fashion, oil and gas, telecommunications and luxury car manufacturing.

Her practice is made up of mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, joint ventures and the full ambit of commercial contracts, company law and governance issues. She has a particular interest in the manufacturing, export and tourism sectors. 

Megan believes that one of the privileges of being a commercial lawyer is being brought inside a client's organisation to act as advisor and advocate. She enjoys engaging with clients on a business and personal level to ensure that she understands their values and ultimate commercial objectives.   

The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2017 and 2018 Guides have recognised Megan as a 'Next Generation Lawyer", an award that recognises lawyers who are "rising stars" in their areas of practice. The Guide noted her as being 'very knowledgeable and has a good manner’.

Alix has a broad range of experience in the legal industry encompassing various legal support functions including financial, technology, human resources, information and general administration management.

Alix has a keen interest in process improvement and supporting staff in their roles.  Her philosophy is that there is always a better way to perform a function and she is focused on leveraging both existing and new technology and practices to assist with the efficient operation of Anthony Harper's systems.

Her role at Anthony Harper enables her to apply her knowledge and experience with particular focus on developing, implementing and maintaining the firm's IT, practice management and administration policies and practices to support Anthony Harper's strategic goals and business plans.  Alix is also responsible for the Auckland office management function and works on various management projects.

Focused, pragmatic and responsive.  Clients like that I go out of my way to understand their business and build strong relationships with their people

Chris is ranked as a "Leading Individual' in the in the 2018 Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guide for his expertise in the transport and logistics field. He is also recommended in the corporate, intellectual property, and technology practice areas of the where clients refer to him as being 'excellent' and 'highly recommended'.

Chris's in-house experience in the UK as Corporate Legal Manager at Exel Plc, then the world’s largest logistics company, gives him an in-depth understanding of the industry and a commercial approach.

He has specialised expertise in the ports, transport & logistics (including domestic and international procurement, supply, carriage and distribution) and energy and natural resources sectors.

He also has extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, governance, securities, consumer, intellectual property and technology work.

Sarah joined Anthony Harper’s property team in April 2015 and advises clients on a range of commercial property matters, including acquisitions and divestments, leasing and subdivisions.

Ed is a highly experienced commercial property and construction solicitor who advises clients on a wide range of commercial property and construction matters.

Ed is named as a 'Leading Individual' in the 2016, 2017 and 2018 Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guide. This is the highest accolade the Guide awards and represents a lawyer who has reached the heights of their profession. Clients referred to Ed as providing 'great technical and practical advice'. He is also ranked in the 2017 and 2018 Chambers and Partners Directory and noted as being a "good person to deal with, sensible and commercial," while another client says that he "provides a superb blend of technical and practical advice." The Directory pointed to his 'substantial experience assisting national and international clients in commercial property matters and is noted for assisting with sale and leaseback arrangements for undeveloped sites'.

Ed’s commercial property experience includes acting for major national and international clients on all types of commercial property matters including acquisitions and disposals, development and leasing. His commercial property clients include entities listed on the New Zealand and Australian Stock Exchange, State Owned Enterprises, developers, landlords and tenants.

Ed is considered a leading expert on Overseas Investment Act issues having been involved in a substantial number of applications, including some of the most high profile applications in recent years. Ed’s construction experience includes acting for both principals and contractors including several of the largest construction companies in New Zealand. This gives him a thorough understanding of the commercial drivers of each of the parties involved. He has advised on a wide range of construction projects including shopping centre developments, office and industrial building developments, road and rail projects, power station developments and brewery developments.

He was recognised in the NZ Lawyer magazine's 2015 hot list as one of the country's top thirty lawyers. The list showcased those lawyers who had made a significant contribution through innovation, leadership, community contributions or playing a key role in some of the country's most significant cases or deals.

Aimee enjoys working alongside her clients to help them realise their goals.

Aimee has over 17 years experience in the legal industry and brings significant experience across a range of legal fields to our team.

She specialises in all asset planning matters with a particular focus on trusts, asset protection, elder law including enduring powers of attorney and incapacity matters, issues with estates, and wills.

She sees her ability to listen to clients, understand what they want to achieve and then draft documentation that reflects their wishes as one of her key strengths. Aimee is incredibly organised, personable and prides herself on her attention to detail.

Originally from Dunedin, Dominic worked in Central Otago before relocating to work in the United Kingdom where he practised for five years, primarily in the fields of commercial leasing and corporate due diligence. He returned to Dunedin in 2010, where he practised general commercial and property law at a medium size firm before moving to Christchurch to join our specialist property team.

Dominic has wide experience in commercial leasing, sale and purchase of businesses, subdivisions, residential and commercial conveyancing. He deals with a range of issues in relation to infrastructure development projects involving the creation, management and disposal of roads and reserves and provides strategic advice to various Crown bodies in respect of the acquisition and disposal of land pursuant to the Public Works Act 1981 and the Land Act 1948 and all related matters.

Daniel provides a rare blend of technical proficiency, commercial realism, and responsiveness.

Daniel advises on property deals, development projects, unit titles, subdivisions and commercial leasing.  He is recommended in the 2017 and 2018 editions of the Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guide where clients refer to him as being 'absolutely great'.

He is an accredited specialist of the Property Law Section of the New Zealand Law Society and in 2017 was elected to the Executive Committee of the Property Law Section.  He is also a member of the Property Council of New Zealand.

Jessica has extensive and varied experience in the legal services sector, having worked for a range of boutique, medium-sized and top-tier firms.  Responsible for the human resources function at Anthony Harper's Auckland office, Jessica is passionate about maintaining our award-winning culture and finding ways to make working at Anthony Harper even better.  Her degree in psychology underpins a deep understanding of the nuances of behavior and motivation in the workplace, and her role involves ensuring that we recruit and retain the best people, supporting them in their development and in providing exceptional service to our clients.

After graduating with a conjoint degree in Law and Arts from the University of Auckland, Richa worked for two years as a clerk to judges of the District Court. Following that, she worked as a solicitor in a specialist firm, focussing on the areas of succession planning and wealth management.

Richa is a solicitor in the Retirement Villages team. She works closely with clients to identify and advise them on a range of issues relating to retirement villages, including relevant corporate and commercial work.

Lucy has recently returned from London where she was in-house legal counsel for a major retail bank. She managed a team of lawyers advising on a large regulatory investigation and customer remediation scheme regarding interest rate hedging products sold to SMEs. The review involved complex legal issues and a significant degree of public and media interest, while operating under regulatory pressures.

Prior to moving overseas she worked in the competition, public and regulatory law team at a large firm in Auckland, focusing on Commerce Act, Fair Trading Act and regulatory advice.

Working in a management role in-house, Lucy gained valuable experience dealing with internal and external stakeholders, and has an interest in advising on regulatory and risk issues.

Lucy enjoys skiing and yoga and completed a yoga teacher training course on her way home from London.

Erin advises clients in relation to insolvency and recovery work including general debt recovery, liquidation, bankruptcy, insolvent transactions and the Personal Property and Securities Act. Her focus on recovery and court proceedings means she works closely with both the banking, finance and insolvency and the litigation team and is able to effectively carry over and utilise her expertise to the benefit of both teams and their clients.  

After graduating from the University of Auckland with a conjoint degree in Law and Science, Megan gained experience in the fields of property, commercial property, and commercial law.

Grant is 'a tremendously good practitioner'

Grant has advised borrowers and financial institutions on a wide range of financing matters, including leveraged finance, project and property finance and structured finance transactions. He has a particular expertise in property finance, sponsor backed acquisition finance and syndicated corporate facilities.

He is recognised in the 2017 and 2018 Chambers and Partners Directory, where he is noted as "technically strong" with "significant and diverse transactional experience." He has a broad range of expertise across the commercial and corporate banking sectors, and is adept at handling complex property finance transactions. Grant was also named as a 'Leading Individual" in the Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2017 and 2018 Guides. This is the highest accolade the Guide awards and represents a lawyer who has reached the heights of their profession. Clients recommend his for his 'hardwork' and being 'commercial by nature'.

He is also recognised as a "Leading Lawyer" in the 2017 Asialaw Directory.

Prior to returning to New Zealand, Grant spent several years in the banking department of ‘magic circle’ law firm Linklaters LLP based in London and Tokyo.

Gill advises on corporate and commercial law, with an emphasis on securities law and finance.  Her previous experience includes working in London for a major multi-national law firm specializing in capital markets funding.  Gill advises large and medium sized businesses and has advised extensively on board compliance issues, including in the corporate and the "not for profit" sector. 

Gill's other interest is as a panel member Human Rights Review Tribunal.  That tribunal hears appeals from the Human Rights Commission, the Privacy Commissioner and the Health and Disability Commissioner.

David has wide experience acting on a range of corporate and commercial projects for New Zealand and overseas based clients.

He has particular expertise on acquisitions, sale and merger transactions, corporate restructurings, equity placements, management shareholding structures, and the legal issues faced by manufacturers and exporters.

David is regularly sought out by overseas based clients needing help with acquisitions or setting up New Zealand businesses, and often works closely as part of the project team from inception to completion.

As well as project work, David regularly advises on key commercial contracts including supply agreements, procurement contracts, manufacturing agreements, agency and distribution arrangements, logistics contracts, service agreements, IP licensing, and joint venture and shareholder agreements.

Many of David's clients have worked with him for more than a decade, and are attracted to his ability to understand their businesses and negotiate and secure pragmatic real world outcomes that balance the legal detail and risk with their commercial objectives.

David is recommended in the 2017 and 2018 Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guides as 'commercial, practical and technically astute' .

Jess joined the employment team in 2015 as a law intern, while she was studying for her LLB (Hons) degree at the University of Auckland. She was admitted as a solicitor in 2017.

Jess works closely with her team to address all employment matters, including disciplinary matters, personal grievances, collective bargaining, contract interpretation and restructuring. Her involvement includes drafting advice, researching technical points, and writing articles. She has also had gained particular experience in drafting documents for employment litigation, and advising on health and safety matters.

Prior to law Tim had a varied and extensive career in the health sector in the United Kingdom and New Zealand as well as undertaking aid work in Cambodia and China.

Before moving to Christchurch Tim cut his teeth in general practice litigation for five years in Rotorua.

Sonya is a member of Anthony Harper’s Retirement Village team. She has over 20 years of experience working in the legal sector. This experience enables her to provide a high level of service to her clients.

In her spare time Sonya enjoys cooking and travelling.

Jessica advises on a broad range of litigation and dispute resolution matters, including claims in the District and High Courts, Weathertight Homes Tribunal, arbitration, mediation and adjudications. She was a finalist in the 2017 New Zealand Law Awards and is ranked as an 'Next Generation' lawyer in the 2018 Legal 500 Asia Pacific.

Jessica's area of expertise is commercial litigation, with a particular focus on construction disputes.  She has juniored in the Court of Appeal in relation to a tender contract dispute and has broad experience in drafting proceedings, appearing at case management conferences, discovery, interlocutory applications, and briefing witnesses.

Sandra is responsible for the design and communication at Anthony Harper. She has extensive experience in graphic design and communications and marketing, having worked in both small businesses and large publishing houses for a number of years.

Sandra is passionate about people, culture, branding and language and she is looking forward to creating media and messages that reflect the Anthony Harper core brand and values.

Braden joins the Anthony Harper litigation team, bringing a background of 11 years in the New Zealand Police which included seven years as a Detective, and more recently two years as a criminal prosecutor.

His role currently comprises of assisting the litigation team to achieve effective resolution for Canterbury Earthquake claims. Braden enjoys being able to utilise his skill-set in a different environment.

Geoff is a "solutions focused" commercial expert who provides strategic, proactive advice

Geoff is a member of the corporate and commercial team and specialises in mergers, acquisitions, divestments, joint ventures, IT, IP, and venture capital.

In addition to his transactional work, Geoff regularly advises on strategic commercial contracts such as supply/procurement arrangements, consulting and service agreements, contract manufacturing agreements, distributorships, sales and marketing agreements, IP licensing and technology transfer, research and development agreements, sponsorship agreements, shareholder agreements, and strategic alliance agreements.

Geoff advised both New Zealand and offshore clients.   He regularly acts as New Zealand counsel on Trans-Tasman matters, advises on all aspects of the Companies Act and commercial legislation.

Geoff also has significant expertise in the field of information technology/intellectual property, regularly advising:

• both providers and purchasers on all aspects of technology law, from systems integration agreements to the outsourcing of computer services; and
• on all aspects of IP including protection, commercialisation, transfer and enforcement.

Geoff combines his commercial experience with a deep understanding of his clients’ business drivers, - adding considerable value to commercial outcomes.   One of his strengths is tailoring his advice to meet commercial objectives.  Clients describe Geoff as " pragmatic, dedicated, knowledgeable and personable".

Geoff advises a number of multi-national companies in respect of their New Zealand businesses, including New Balance, Gartner, Kohler, Velux, Portacom, Lagardere Services and Avery Dennison.

Geoff is recommended in the 2017 and 2018 Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guides. He is noted by clients as being 'pragmatic and helpful'.

Dan is an experienced commercial litigator.

Dan was recognised as a "Leading Lawyer" in the 2017 editions of the Asialaw and IFLR1000 directories.  Dan is ranked as a 'Leading Individual' in the 2018 Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guide in the insolvency area. Clients noted him to be 'responsive and capable'. Dan is also recommended in the fields of litigation and transport and logistics.

Dan's experience in insolvency has led to achievements in unchartered areas for New Zealand law, including being the first to apply and successfully obtain recognition of a U.S. bankruptcy in New Zealand and to also have New Zealand liquidators recognised in Australia. He was recently elected as the Vice-Chair of the Insolvency Committee of the Inter-Pacific Bar Association.

Dan was recognised in the NZ Lawyer magazine's 2016 hot list as one of the country's top thirty lawyers. The list showcases those lawyers who have stood out from their peers and made a significant contribution to the country's legal landscape.

Dan also has numerous reported decisions in leading construction cases and recently succeeded in the highly publicised decision of Fences v Kerbs in which the Supreme Court overturned the Court of Appeal in favour of subcontractors against voidable transactions brought by liquidators.

Dan frequently appears in the High Court, and has appeared in the Maori Land Court, Maori Appellate Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. Dan has also assisted clients in the Sydney Federal Court and the Circuit Courts in the U.S.A. Dan is a member of New Zealand Credit and Finance Institute, INSOL New Zealand and the Insolvency Practitioners Association of Australia.

Malcolm has wide legal and business experience, and a particular interest in the retail sector

Malcolm is a partner in Anthony Harper's Corporate Advisory team, and has extensive experience of a wide range of corporate and commercial matters.

He is also the firm's Managing Partner, and enjoys the business side of his work too.  He has overseen the firm's major expansion during the past three years.

Malcolm has advised on many significant transactions, and is appreciated by clients as a "deal doer" with real commercial acumen.  He also assists clients with a wide range of "business as usual" commercial contracts and other work.

Malcolm has a particular interest in the retail sector, and understands well the challenges and issues faced by retailers.  Many of Malcolm's clients are in that sector, and he leads Anthony Harper's membership of Retail NZ.

Before joining Anthony Harper, Malcolm was a partner in a leading London law firm.

Malcolm was recognised in the NZ Lawyer magazine's 2015 hot list as one of the country's top thirty lawyers. The list showcased those lawyers who had made a significant contribution through innovation, leadership, community contributions or playing a key role in some of the country's most significant cases or deals.

Malcolm is also recommended in the 2017 and 2018 Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guide where clients noted him as being 'efficient and always obliging'.

He led the award winning team, advising the GFG Group shareholders on their sale to Wirecard, picking up the trophy for 'Mid-size Deal of the Year', at the 2015 New Zealand Law Awards.

Having previously worked in the investment management industry as a General Counsel, Lisa brings to her role a first-hand knowledge of what clients want in a law firm

Lisa has a diverse range of experience from advising clients in a professional services firm environment in New Zealand and Australia, through to holding a variety of roles in the investment management sector. She has also held board roles in both the corporate and not for profit sectors. 

Her experience in the dual disciplines of accountancy and law blend to provide her with a unique insight in leading a law firm.  At Anthony Harper she has overall responsibility for the management of the firm covering finance, technology, human resources and business development.  Lisa develops the firm's strategic direction in conjunction with Anthony Harper's Board, and then leads implementation nationally.

Since her appointment as CEO in early 2016, Lisa's role has grown both internally and externally.  She is sought after to give comment in the national media and as a conference speaker.

In 2016, Lisa entered a very elite alumni as a finalist in the Women of Influence Awards.

Joey takes a pragmatic approach to resolving various types of disputes in a range of settings

Joey is a Senior Associate in the litigation team, specialising in commercial litigation, and provides general advice in relation to various dispute resolution procedures. Joey has been involved in proceedings concerning a wide range of matters including shareholder and partnership disputes, breach of confidence claims, statutory interpretation issues, debt recovery and insolvency matters. He has appeared in the District Court, High Court and Court of Appeal, having appeared as senior counsel in both the District Court and High Court.

Joey has specific experience in traffic law matters, having appeared for a range of clients on both sides of disputes (including Auckland Transport and key employees of large companies).

He has a keen interest in sports law and has acted for high profile rugby players including an All Black. He has advised players on national rugby contracts in addition to representing them in Court.     

Chloe has worked in the area of insolvency and debt recovery since graduating law school and has particular interest in repossession of both goods and real property, and personal and corporate insolvency.  Chloe works closely with other members of the Banking & Finance and Insolvency & Corporate Recovery teams to ensure that clients get cohesive advice and the benefits of extensive team knowledge.

Chloe was ranked as a 'Next Generation Lawyer' in the 2018 Legal 500 Asia Pacific. Clients stated she 'provided an extremely good service'.

She has appeared in the District Court and the High Court on a variety of matters and continues to enjoy the challenge and constant development of this area of the law.

Naomi has developed strong client relationships through her friendly approach and interest in solving day to day problems

Naomi’s background in the banking industry has well equipped her to develop her role with the Settlement Services team which she joined in June 2007.

Whilst Naomi is well skilled in the procedures and legal requirements necessary to assist villages with settlement, transfer and termination transactions, she particularly enjoys her relationship with village managers and helping solve the day to day issues specific to each transaction.

Karen specialises in commercial litigation, advising clients on a wide range of disputes and risk management. 

She has extensive experience acting for national and international clients in corporate disputes, construction and property litigation, debt collection and issues relating to regulatory compliance and insurance.

Karen is a smart commercial thinker, always pragmatic, using her experience to provide strategic advice to get the best result for you.  Whether it is a multi-million dollar construction claim, an adjudication or a shareholder dispute, Karen's expertise will be focused on your interests and outcomes.  She acts for small land owners, large off-shore finance houses, contractors, principals, gaming societies and corporate stakeholders.  She recently brought the first application to put a Body Corporate into liquidation.

She will manage your dispute in whatever forum is required.  She has appeared as counsel in the High Court, District Court and Tribunals, as well as advising clients on complex investigations by the Department of Internal Affairs or acting in judicial review proceedings.

Karen is recommended in the 2017 and 2018 Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guides where she is noted for being 'friendly and taking the time to understand the client'.

Alistair specialises in commercial property law.

He has significant expertise and experience in all aspects of commercial property, including property development, sales, leasing, property syndication, subdivision and property finance.

He draws on his considerable experience to truly understand the nature of the transaction.  His commercial, solution-focused approach ensures that Alistair delivers successful outcomes for his clients.

Alistair advises a wide range of clients, including major corporates, institutional investors, development companies, property syndicators, viticulture companies and retirement village operators.  He also has experience advising overseas investors purchasing property in New Zealand.

Ewe Leong is a partner with a wealth of experience in corporate and commercial matters including mergers, acquisitions, divestments, cross-border investments, capital raising, capital markets and infrastructure alliancing matters.

He has acted in many capital raising projects, IPO's, private capital raising and listings including contemporaneous multi-jurisdictional capital raising projects.

He is well connected and is a member of:

• New Zealand Malaysia Business Council, Hong Kong New Zealand Business Association and ASEAN New Zealand Combined Business Councils
• CPA Australia
• Institute of Directors
• New Zealand Institute of Chartered Secretaries Inc

A recent graduate from the University of Otago, Katie joined Anthony Harper in November 2016. Katie is gaining valuable experience assisting across a variety of issues in the litigation team.

Alongside her work at Anthony Harper, Katie is completing her Bachelor of Physical Education.

Katie is an outdoors enthusiast, enjoying snowboarding, scuba diving and rock climbing in her spare time.

After spending some time working as a legal secretary in Corporate Advisory while studying for her Legal Executive diploma, Catherine has recently made the move to the role of legal assistant in our Retirement Villages team. 

Here she intends to use her developing legal skills to provide excellent service for our retirement village clients.

Previously, the Chief Executive of the Overseas Investment Commission and head of the Overseas Investment Office between 2003 and 2017, Annelies brings strong regulatory, decision-making and public policy skills to Anthony Harper's public law team.

She has a significant depth of knowledge and experience in the machinery of government, government processes as they affect the business community and judicial review of statutory decisions. Her unique set of skills, insight and experience combined with a strong commercial background means she provides expert advice on lawful decision-making and how to influence the development of government policy and legislation.

Annelies is acknowledged as New Zealand's foremost expert in the interpretation and application of the Overseas Investment Act 2005.

Prior to joining the public service, Annelies worked in private practice specialising in commercial, trust and property law.

'The best lawyer I have ever used' (Chambers and Partners)

Her practice includes employment litigation, industrial relations, health and safety, complex restructures, large scale 'Holidays Act' issues, executive remuneration and regulation, executive exits and immigration. She has been commended for being 'proactive, insightful and at the forefront' of employment law in the country.

Her knowledge is of great benefit across the firm and she is a valued participant in other practice areas, providing a full level of support and responsiveness to our clients.

Jennifer is ranked in the 2017 and 2018 Chambers and Partners Directory she is "respected for her work advising on industrial relations, restructurings and executive remuneration. One client enthuses that she is "very responsive, with clear and strong advice that gives us confidence."

Jennifer is named as a 'Leading Individual' in the Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2016, 2017 and 2018 Guides. This is the highest accolade the Guide awards and represents a lawyer who has reached the heights of their profession. Clients referred to Jennifer as being an 'expert in employment law who understands business’. Jennifer is also named as a 'Leading Lawyer' in the Asia Law Profiles Guide.

Kate has a public law and commercial litigation background and is practiced in balancing clients' commercial objectives with regulatory requirements.  She has particular experience in relation to regulatory investigations under consumer legislation, including assisting clients with Commerce Commission investigations and representing them in prosecutions.

In addition to dispute resolution work, Kate has significant experience in advising a statutory decision-maker on applications and appeals before it, as well as advising private clients in relation to legislative compliance, particularly consumer legislation. Kate has also acted for clients in relation to insolvency, debt collection, contractual and tort disputes. 

Kate joined Anthony Harper in 2017 after eight years at a boutique commercial litigation and public law firm. She began her legal career as a Judges’ Clerk at the High Court in Auckland and holds a LLB(Hons) and BA(Hons) from the University of Auckland.

A good adviser with wide knowledge and a can-do attitude

Michael is ranked as a 'Leading Individual' in the 2017 and 2018 Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guides. This is the highest accolade the Guide awards and represents a lawyer who has reached the heights of their profession. He is ranked in both his specialised fields of Technology and IP. Clients recommended Michael for his 'excellent advice and commercial strategies'.

Michael is also recognised in the 2017 and 2018 Chambers and Partner's Directory in both his technology and intellectual property practice specialities as "he understands technology and the legal landscape, and has a pragmatic and commercial view.'

He was also part of the award winning team, advising the GFG Group shareholders on their sale to Wirecard, picking up the trophy for 'Mid-size Deal of the Year' at the 2015 New Zealand Law Awards.

Chambers Asia-Pacific has selected Michael as a ranked lawyer, identifying him as one of the best lawyers in the field of Technology Media & Telecommunications. 

He was recognised in the NZ Lawyer magazine's 2016 hot list as one of the country's top thirty lawyers. The list showcases those lawyers who have stood out from their peers and made a significant contribution to the country's legal landscape.

Michael leads our national Intellectual Property and Telecommunications, Media & Technology teams. He has a wealth of experience in intellectual property protection and commercialisation, software and systems development implementation and support, e-commerce business, privacy, energy, sponsorship, food regulation and product labelling.  

Michael advises clients in a broad range of industries including TMT, energy, FMCG, food and beverage, liquor, retail, advertising and marketing, fashion, publishing, automotive, banking and financial services, entertainment, agriculture, horticulture, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, building, education, and health and aged care.

He works with the back-up of other specialists within the firm to provide a cohesive, flexible and responsive service to clients.

Michael is a member of the Intellectual Property Society of Australia and New Zealand (IPSANZ) and the International Trademark Association (INTA).

Cornelia is passionate about Latin dancing and travelling, the two hobbies which have taken her to many fascinating places like Rio de Janeiro and Los Angeles.  Cornelia is fluent in Mandarin and French.

The breadth of Cornelia's knowledge and experience in both corporate and finance gives her a great understanding of both the business drivers and legal issues facing companies.

As a member of the corporate advisory team Cornelia leverages her experience to provide clients with pragmatic advice on a wide range of corporate, commercial and finance matters.  Her experience includes acting on mergers and acquisitions, shareholding structure, limited partnership matters, consumer guarantee and fair trading matters, review of commercial advertisements and commercial property finance transactions.

Cornelia also loves teaching, and is currently an instructor on legal writing and communication and a contract law tutor at the University of Auckland.  Cornelia is fluent in Mandarin and French.

Jullion is a solicitor in the Corporate Advisory team, advising private individuals through to large listed New Zealand companies on a broad range of commercial matters, specialising in intellectual property and technology.

Following the completion of his studies in law and science (biology), Jullion left New Zealand in search of riches in the outback of Australia where he worked in the mining industry. 

After a well earned break travelling extensively through South America, Jullion returned to New Zealand and joined a leading intellectual property law firm in Auckland.

Jullion brings knowledge, expertise and pragmatism to his client work, always taking into account the client's goals and objectives and tailoring his approach appropriately.  He has a deep understanding of intellectual property and related areas of law, particularly all aspects of trade mark law, copyright and consumer protection laws in New Zealand and overseas.  He has a particular interest in the food and beverage sector, and New Zealand's rapidly growing natural products industry.

Jullion is a finalist in the 2016 Young Private Practice Lawyer of the Year at the New Zealand Law Awards. He is ranked as a 'Next Generation Lawyer' in the 2018 Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guide where clients recommend him as 'very strong technically and practically’.

Luana is a specialist employment lawyer with extensive experience working in both New Zealand and abroad. She previously worked in a top-tier Australian firm where she acted in a number of significant high-profile disputes.

She acts for both public and private sector clients on all aspects of workplace laws, contentious and non-contentious. Luana has particular expertise in employment, industrial relations and discrimination law as well as conducting high-profile litigation.

She is dedicated to understanding her client's needs and helping them navigate the complexities of all workplace laws.

Nigel and his team provide a wide range of advice to Anthony Harper's bank and financial institution clients, including merger and acquisition finance, project finance, property finance and working capital facilities. He is also involved with advising public companies, capital market fundraising and regulatory compliance.

He has had over 30 years legal experience, mostly acting for banks and other financial institutions and capital markets transactions.

Nigel is recommended in the 2016 and 2017 Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guides where clients noted him to be 'quick to respond, has good business acumen and is highly commercial’. He is also recommended in the 2017 and 2018 Chambers and Partners Directory.

Lucy is a solicitor in the litigation team and has worked on a broad range of commercial matters including employment, construction, environment, and intellectual property litigation. 

Lucy has appeared in the High Court and has experience in drafting proceedings and interlocutory applications, attending mediations, research, and discovery.

She has studied at both the University of Canterbury and the University of Nottingham, is a keen skier, and enjoys volunteering for the Auckland Community Law Centre.

Harriet is an Associate in the Litigation team, working with partners Karen Kemp and Dan Hughes on general commercial litigation matters, with a focus on construction and insolvency disputes.

She previously worked at a large firm, where she acted in a broad range of commercial disputes, including commercial property and construction contract disputes, leaky building litigation, insolvency, insurance and employment disputes.  She has juniored in the Court of Appeal in a voidable transaction proceeding, construction contract dispute and human rights proceeding.  She has also appeared in the High Court, District Court and Employment Relations Authority, and represented clients in several mediations. 

Harriet was named a 'Next Generation' lawyer in the 2018 Legal 500 Asia Pacific.

A very diligent, capable lawyer with a can-do attitude

Prior to joining Anthony Harper, Natasha worked at Latham & Watkins LLP in London and trained with White & Case LLP in London and in Tokyo. She has also worked as an in-house lawyer for the European Special Situations Group at Goldman Sachs International in London.

Natasha has experience across a broad range of issues in banking law from a commercial perspective, with particular emphasis on matters relating to cross-border leveraged buyouts, acquisition finance, and restructuring transactions - making her an integral member of the Anthony Harper Corporate Team. She acts for financial institutions, private equity sponsors and major corporations. 

Natasha is also a Committee Member of the Canterbury Women’s Legal Association as well as the Christchurch Women’s Toastmasters Club.

Bridget is a senior tax advisor with over 22 years' experience in both the corporate and privately owned business sectors.  She has advised clients on a wide range of tax-related issues including:

• advising on business structuring, acquisitions, mergers and disposals; 
• international tax issues including structure of cross border transactions, transfer pricing planning, compliance, profit repatriation and employee relocation;
• New Zealand tax issues related to offshore investments, property transactions, Inland Revenue Department dispute resolution, employee share schemes;
• co-ownership of property, asset protection and preservation of assets.  

She has worked for clients in the tourism, technology and manufacture and distribution sectors and has a special focus on clients expanding her business offshore. Bridget’s focus is commercial with an objective of obtaining practical and efficient business and tax solutions for her clients.

She has gained her 22 years’ experience as a senior tax advisor in two of the ‘Big Four’ global accounting practices and the largest of the mid-tier global accounting practices in New Zealand.   

Working with business owners and decision makers to unlock value through effective tax planning and sound business decision making is where her expertise lies and is what she is passionate about.

Richard brings a wealth of experience and understanding from the non-legal world to help clients achieve practical and commercial resolution of disputes

Richard took several years out from his university studies to travel the world finding work in a variety of fields including serving for two years with the 1st Battalion of the New Zealand Army based in Singapore, mining in outback Australia, farming in Israel, the UK and New Zealand as well as various jobs in the UK, Germany and Italy.

Richard has applied his practical experiences and a hands-on approach to the law to assist Anthony Harper's clients to resolve all manner of disputes.  Richard's background allows him to communicate with and understand people from all walks of life.

His legal experience covers all aspects of civil litigation including representing clients in negotiations, mediations, arbitrations, various tribunals, royal commissions and appearing in the District Court, High Court and Court of Appeal.

His areas of expertise include commercial debt collection, commercial litigation, insolvency, relationship property, construction law, the Fair Trading Act, estate litigation and protection of personal and property rights matters.

Richard is recommended in the 2017 and 2018 Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guides where he is noted for being 'friendly and taking the time to understand the client'.

Matt is a commercial lawyer, with particular focuses on the technology industry and emerging companies. His extensive experience ranges from joint ventures and shareholders' agreements, mergers and acquisitions and capital raises to, in the IT context, systems supply and support, licensing, systems integration, outsourcing and "as a Service" arrangements. He also regularly advises on privacy/data protection requirements.

He delivers his clients concise and pragmatic advice, in a calm and friendly manner.  

Prior to joining the firm Matt spent over 10 years at one of New Zealand's largest law firms, that included a stint on secondment at a large London law firm.

Marin joined the Auckland property team in 2016 and works closely with Sylvia Cheah.

He has experience across a range of property matters, including commercial acquisitions and dispositions, leasing and due diligence investigations.

After working in the telecommunications industry, Lisa decided to change her career, completing her law degree while working and raising a family. 

Lisa is a member of Anthony Harper's Litigation team and specialises in commercial litigation, providing general advice on various dispute resolution procedures.  She works closely with other teams at Anthony Harper to ensure clients are provided with comprehensive quality advice.

She advises clients on a wide range of dispute resolution alternatives including mediation, arbitration, adjudication and litigation, in the District Court, High Court and Weathertight Homes and other tribunals. Lisa has juniored on a number of Court of Appeal cases.  

The 2017 and 2018 Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guides have recognised Lisa as a 'Next Generation Lawyer'. She was recognised for the key role she played in the EQC Action Group and her advice on commercial property insurance claims.

What makes Anthony Harper an Employer of Choice?  It's the talented team of professionals like Fleur who are truly passionate about what they do that makes the difference

Fleur has many years experience in human resources management, working across hospitality, manufacturing and now the legal services sector.  She initially trained in hotel management, spending ten years working throughout New Zealand for a national hotel chain before making the move into human resources.

She is responsible for the national human resources function at Anthony Harper.  Fleur is firmly focused on our people, searching for the best and the brightest to join our team.  Once on-board, you can be assured that she'll be working hard to help you develop your career and to be the best that you can be.

She's really proud to work for Anthony Harper and everything she does reflects this attitude.

Tiffany is passionate about music and musical theatre with credits in Miss Saigon, Evita and The Phantom of the Opera.

She brings the same level of passion to her legal work and is an invaluable part of our nationwide, internationally ranked litigation team.

Tiffany also has previous experience in property law which remains a key area of interest for her.

Elizabeth is passionate about her role in human resources. A degree in psychology has equipped her with a valuable insight into working relationships, teamwork and behaviour.

She has worked in the business services and financial sector in both New Zealand and Singapore. This international platform furnished her a strong belief in the value of diversity in building successful teams.

These talents have found a natural fit with the business ethos at Anthony Harper and she is excited to be part of the award winning team.

Elizabeth is on parental leave until July 2018.

Robust, pragmatic advice

Lynne specialises in commercial litigation. Her areas of expertise include insolvency, property, securities enforcement and realisation, and recoveries. Lynne is ranked as a 'Next Generation Lawyer' in the 2018 Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guide and noted by clients for 'providing an extremely good service’.

Lynne has appeared in the Court of Appeal, High Court, District Court and the Maori Land Court on a range of commercial matters, including enforcement of construction bonds. Lynne completed a Masters of Law (Hons) in 2013, with a focus on Commercial Law and the Personal Property Securities Act, complementing her areas of expertise.

Lynne regularly advises liquidators, receivers and private clients on a range of complex insolvency related matters including restructuring, breach of directors’ duties claims, voidable transactions and other preference claims.  She has substantial experience assisting parties with obtaining urgent relief (where appropriate) and has obtained orders for interim liquidations, injunctions and freezing orders.

"He is technically very knowledgeable, practical and takes a commercial approach to resolving issues." (Chambers and Partners 2016)

Crispin advises a wide range of clients, including banks, finance companies, chartered accountants, insolvency practitioners, receivers, liquidators, administrators and the Official Assignee on all facets of insolvency and recovery matters. This includes Court action at all levels, mortgagee sales, recovery of collateral under the Personal Property Securities Act and advice to receivers and liquidators. Crispin has a particular expertise in personal insolvency.

Crispin is a member of RITANZ (Restructuring Insolvency & Turnaround Association of New Zealand Incorporated), on the organising committee of the Canterbury Insolvency Special Interest Group,  a member of the New Zealand Credit and Finance Institute and a member of the Banking and Finance Law Association.

He is ranked in the 2017 and 2018 Chambers and Partners Directory and noted for being "extremely knowledgeable on insolvency, and is always available when we need him. He's also approachable, willing to help, and he offers practical solutions to legal problems. Finally, he has excellent written and verbal communication skills, and he can convey his knowledge in a clear and concise way."  He was also recognised as a "Leading Lawyer" in the 2017 Asialaw Directory.

Crispin is named as a leading individual in the 2016, 2017 and 2018 Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guide. This is the highest accolade the Guide awards and represents a lawyer who has reached the heights of their profession. Clients recommended Crispin for being 'calm, balanced and commercial’.

Murray has a vast range of experience in the banking, corporate, property, trust and local government teams of the firm.

Murray now specialises in property matters but his work with other parts of the firm provides the experience which enables Murray to look at and advise on legal problems with a 360˚ perspective.

Murray's particular experience involves him acting for corporate and other significant property owners and local authorities in the purchase, development, subdivision, leasing and sale of commercial, rural and residential properties.  Murray also advises on the structuring of transactions and the entities in the ownership, development and utilisation of commercial, rural and residential properties. 

Since 2011, Murray has spent a large part of his time assisting commercial and residential property owners in dealing with damage resulting from the Canterbury Earthquakes, dealing with insurers and resolving insurance claims and advising on and assisting with litigation claims relating to commercial and residential properties.

Murray is recommended in the 2017and 2018 Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guide.

Simon is a trusted specialist in Trusts and Asset Protection Planning. He complements his niche practice area with background experience in the property, company and commercial fields developed while working in Australia, England and in New Zealand.

It is this depth and breadth of experience, combined with an empathy and willingness to listen, that places Simon in a unique position to help his clients. Whether it is simply organising your affairs with a Will and Powers of Attorney, implementing arrangements for the co-ownership of property, a Trust and Asset Protection Plan to protect and preserve assets, assisting with the division of assets on the breakdown of a relationship, restructuring business and home ownership arrangements to increase tax efficiency and anything else in between, Simon and his team are able to assist.

Simon also has an international practice which involves him working with off-shore clients and intermediaries in respect of NZ Foreign Trusts.

Despite the technical nature of his field of work, Simon brings a practical approach to what he does so that clients are better able to understand what can be complex legal arrangements.

It is this sort of approach that also sees Simon called upon regularly to present seminars on trust and related matters for a number  of industry bodies, including the New Zealand Law Society and the NZ chapter of STEP – the Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners based in London.

After six years working as a legal secretary, Michelle has joined our Retirement Villages team as a Legal Assistant.

She has completed her NZLS Legal Executive Diploma and is due to graduate in 2017. 

Michelle is bringing her knowledge and legal experience to the role enabling her to provide a high quality of service to our retirement village clients.

After attaining a double degree in Law and Commerce from the University of Canterbury, Matt spent three years at a large South Island based law firm practicing general commercial and property law.

Matt is a valued member of our property team where he has been busy gaining further experience of property transactions, particularly in the growing and evolving Christchurch market.

Matt's experience includes acting for retirement villages, advising local authorities in relation to property and infrastructure matters, and advising on the sale and purchase of residential, commercial and industrial property.

Peter is the head of our Litigation practice with extensive experience in complex high value litigation

He advises clients on a wide range of commercial disputes, including commercial property, company law, contract interpretation, construction (including leaky homes), defamation, franchise, insurance and intellectual property.

Peter is actively engaged with property owners in the aftermath of the Canterbury earthquake and has represented them in claims against insurance companies and the Earthquake Commission. He leads the EQC Group Action where the owners of more than 130 properties are investigating a challenge to Earthquake Commission's interpretation of its statutory standard of repair. Peter is at the forefront of this litigation.

In addition to insurance litigation, Peter has a broad international commercial litigation practice regularly appearing in the High Court and the Court of Appeal and at arbitrations. He has also appeared before the Royal Commission into the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy and the Canterbury Earthquake Royal Commission.

He has been described, in the 2014 Chambers and Partner's Directory as 'probably the most commercial litigation partner that I have come across' 'with Peter, there was no ego involved and he wasn't trying to score points'.  Peter is recommended in the 2017 and 2018 Chambers and Partners Directory for his 'strong insurance practice and acting on behalf of homeowners affected by the disaster to coordinate an action against the earthquake Commission'. 

He is also recommended in the 2017 and 2018 Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guides where clients recommend him for his "forthright and extremely approachable" manner. He is well regarded for his handling of construction and insurance disputes, and he led the team in several High Court disputes involving property damage in Christchurch, acting for the property owner against the insurer."

Peter has presented at the ALFA International Client Seminar, New Zealand Law Society and is a trustee of the Lighthouse Vision Trust.

Peter is a member of the New Zealand Insurance Law Association, the Society for Construction Law and the Franchise Association of New Zealand mediation panel.  Peter is also an accredited mediator with CEDR (2000).

Determined, practical and knowledgeable – I enjoy getting to know clients and their businesses in order to provide relevant advice across a wide range of corporate matters

Jordan has experience across a range of legal specialities giving her a unique perspective when assessing how to best advise a client.

Jordan's position is in the corporate advisory team where she advises on a wide range of business matters including restructures, business and share sales and a variety of commercial contracts.