Mackenzie Elvin

Fiona is one of the leading family law specialists in New Zealand.

Fiona was previously elected to the position of Deputy Chair of the Family Law section of the New Zealand Law Society and is currently on their Policy and Law Reform standing committee. In July 2010 she travelled to London and participated in an international gathering of family law experts addressing difficult issues in children's law with respect to relocation and the Hague convention. She is a recognised expert on relocation of children and in 2009 completed an LLM focusing on this subject.

Fiona undertakes work in respect to the division of property and restructuring after the end of a relationship and leads a team at the forefront of the developing interface between trust law and relationship property.

She strongly supports mediation as a way to resolve issues by ensuring all parties have an opportunity to be heard with dignity and respect and are re-empowered to make their own decisions.

"I believe the law is a calling as well as a profession. We help people through some very tough times. We know what we're doing and while we try and facilitate constructive solutions we can also be fierce, protective advocates for our clients."

Marcus has practised law in Wellington, London and Tauranga for over twenty-five years.

Marcus grew up on a farm east of Te Puke and although his hands no longer reflect his rural upbringing, he still has an affinity for the land, agribusiness, horticulture and land-based businesses. He is particularly knowledgeable about the kiwifruit industry and acts for kiwifruit growers, post-harvest operators and other industry players.

He also understands first-hand the difficulties families face in passing on farms and property to the next generation. He specialises in succession planning from the early stages of helping a family reach a point where they are in a position to plan, to setting up the structures and assisting with the management of trusts.

Marcus has expertise in company law, the aged care sector (including retirement villages), major construction projects, and complex property and business transactions.

Marcus is on the Board of Directors of Bethlehem Tertiary Institute (having served as Chairman from 2006 to 2010), the Board of Trustees of Creative Tauranga and the Board of Trustees of the Global Poverty Project (NZ).

"Being a lawyer is a privilege and carries with it some unique responsibilities. To be a confidante to clients and trusted by them with their life stories, their assets and their aspirations is a great responsibility and one I take seriously. Being a lawyer is also about seeing justice done and those who know me will say that I will battle to the end to seek justice and right a wrong. Law and justice are inseparable."