May Newsletter: Keeping you in the Loop

The partnership between Harmans and The Court Theatre has been a journey marked by resilience, growth and shared passion for the arts. In the aftermath of the devastating 2011 Christchurch earthquakes, when the city’s cultural scene faced unprecedented challenges, The Court Theatre was forced to find temporary shelter. As a firm, Harmans recognised that the arts were not just an enjoyment but a cornerstone of community spirit and identity, and so continued to support The Court Theatre even during its most uncertain times.

Fast forward a decade, Harmans proudly continues its support as The Court Theatre returns to the heart of Christchurch’s Central City. Harmans is privileged to be the sponsor of the very first show in the Theatre’s new home, The End of the Golden Weather, written by one of the country’s most celebrated playwrights, Bruce Mason.  This return not only breathes new life into the city’s cultural scene but also signals a positive step towards rebuilding and strengthening the social and artistic fabric of the Central City.

Thank you for being part of this journey with us.

With a legal career spanning 30 years, Mark has been a leader in the fields of property law and commercial law, both locally and nationally.

For more than ten years Mark has been an active and valued member of the NZLS’s Property Law Section executive, including serving as Chair over the last four years. He has also been a member of the NZLS Council during this period.  Under his stewardship, the Property Law Section has grown its membership significantly, and has advanced key initiatives that have supported legal practitioners across the country as well as ensuring improved delivery of legal services to clients.

His appointment as Vice President of NZLS denotes the high regard in which he is held by both his colleagues in the profession and his fellow partners at Harmans.  We are certain that Mark will bring his professionalism, along with the pragmatic problem solving skillset he possesses, to the NZLS board.

Harmans are proud to stand behind Mark as he brings his experience and leadership to this national role, and we look forward to the contributions he will make to the future of the profession.

Trusts are a popular way of protecting property and managing assets. However, there is misunderstanding that if a trust owns relationship property assets, this will serve as a complete barrier to a potential relationship property claim.

Learn more here.

There are so many things to consider in the process!

Join us for an evening with our team of property experts to learn the key things that will make your first home process a smooth, successful journey.

Wednesday, 14 May at 5:15pm

Registrations essential.

Often one of the primary concerns that will arise if you, or a loved one requires long term residential care, is how the cost of such care will be funded.

A Residential Care Subsidy (“Subsidy”) may be available through Work and Income New Zealand to assist with the costs of living in a rest home, dementia unit, or continuing specialised hospital level care. However, as Subsidies are means tested, you may not initially qualify.

Read more here to explore if you are eligble for a Loan.

We are pleased to share that Amy Campbell, Amber Pemberton, Nick Wilson, Ashleigh Macdonald-Baker, Isabella Gibson, Matthew Gualter, Meg Longley, Emma Wild, Penny Westwood and Coco Barham have joined our team.

In this newsletter we introduce you to Amy, Amber and Nick.

Amy is a member of our family law team which specialises in:

• care of children, guardianship, Oranga Tamariki and family violence disputes.
• relationship property and spousal maintenance disputes.
• the protection of assets prior to a relationship.
• the division of assets upon separation, including personally owned assets, companies and trusts.

In April 2023 Amy was appointed a member of the Family Courts Association (Christchurch) Executive Committee.

Amber is a member of the Private Client and Property Law team at Harmans. She has a passion for Trust Law and Estate planning.

She is a member of the Property Law Section of the New Zealand Law Society.

In late 2024 Nick returned home to Christchurch and joined Harmans, after gaining valuable experience at another law firm in Central Otago in the Private Client practice area.

Nick is a member of our esteemed Litigation and Dispute Resolution team.

Check in with us to make sure your Will is up to date.

If you appreciate what we do for you, the best thing you can do for us is to tell your friends and whānau, and suggest they contact us for their own legal needs.

If you have any suggestions on how we can improve, please let us know by contacting us here.

Sending gratitude,

From the team at Harmans.

Office Closed: King’s Birthday, 2 June. Matariki, 20 June.