Our key services

Starting a relationship can be an exciting time but it’s important to get things set up right from the beginning.

If you find yourself at the beginning of a relationship or at the end, we can help you make a plan for your property, finances and the care of children. We specialise in creative collative resolution and mediation because sometimes the best approach isn’t always the obvious one.

Our online tool can help you get started. We’ll guide you through the entire process.

Get started here

Resources

Our team

Not everything goes smoothly all of the time so when a family conflict arises - you need people on your side who get it and can work with the issues to find the best resolution for your situation. This is the team of people who can help you resolve your issues.

Chat with us
Bella

Isabella Hutchison

Senior Solicitor

Born and bred in Christchurch, Bella now calls Queenstown home, after spending six years in Auckland studying and starting out her legal career alongside one of Auckland’s leading senior family law barristers.

Learn more
Micah Neville

Micah Neville

Associate

Micah has a wealth of knowledge across multiple practice areas including family law and relationship property, trusts, wills and estate planning.
Learn more
Minka Bodde

Minka Boddé

Special Counsel and Family Law Specialist

Minka is an accomplished litigator who excels at mediation and helping to resolve conflicts. She’s passionate about helping families navigate separation and after two decades working in family law, Minka has a huge depth of knowledge and expertise to draw on.
Learn more

Articles and Events

Couple on bicycles

Contracting out agreements for relationships late in life

Contracting out agreements can be entered into at any time during a relationship and are particularly useful for couples entering into a de facto relationship, or marrying later in life, as both parties are more likely to come to the relationship with more complex financial affairs.
Relationship & Family
Dog in a box

Who gets Ms Peaches if we separate?

In New Zealand, dogs are legally classified as household pets under the Property (Relationships) Act 1976.

Relationship & Family Relationship property
Mother and baby

Spousal maintenance – Why it matters

The financial costs of separating and starting over again can be overwhelming. Spousal maintenance can help bridge the financial gap.
Relationship & Family
Babies together

Should I stay or should I go?

There are so many considerations when family life and relationships become challenging. Increasingly, the impact of mental health, personality disorders, and alcohol and drug dependency are changing the landscape of family relationships.
Relationship & Family
Baby feet

Hike for paid parental leave

Good news for parents on parental leave. Parental payments increased by 6 percent on 1 July.
Relationship & Family
Forever scrabble tiles in hands

Contracting Out Agreements - Beware of Common Myths

Life can be unpredictable to say the least. And relationships are no exception! We go through some commonly held misconceptions.
Relationship & Family Relationship property
Pear on scale

When loans to the kids go pear shaped

The ‘Bank of Mum and Dad’ (BOMD) is now the fifth largest lender in New Zealand, but what happens if it all goes pear shaped and your kid’s relationship breaks down?
Residential property Relationship & Family
Kid in pool

The trials of co-parenting

When it comes to successful co-parenting nothing paves the way better than effective communication. The benefit to your children is enormous, so it’s worth investing some time and effort to learn how to communicate better.
Relationship & Family
Baby holding hands with parent

When moving town after a split doesn’t go to plan

Relocating with children after a separation or divorce can be tricky if the other parent doesn’t agree.
Relationship & Family
Couple upset

Six degrees of separation

Breaking up is hard to do. Whether you've been considering separating for a while or it’s come completely out of the blue, figuring out the next steps can be distressing. We look at some of the options.
Relationship & Family