Explore critical legal developments, including setting aside nuptial settlements under section 182, claims against company and trust property, navigating complex trust and corporate structures, and exceptions to equal sharing. Leading experts will provide insights from recent cases and practical strategies to manage these increasingly common issues.

Presenters

Sarah Flett, Senior Solicitor, Morris Legal
Sarah Flett is a senior solicitor at Morris. Sarah completed her BA/LLB at the University of Canterbury. Before joining Morris in 2022, Sarah worked as a solicitor in the dispute resolution team at Parry Field Lawyers in Christchurch. Sarah has experience dealing with complex trust, estate and family disputes. She acts for trustees, executors, property managers, beneficiaries and HNW individuals. Sarah has appeared in the Family Court and High Court and has attended numerous mediations. Sarah also has expertise in capacity issues, including the removal and appointment of welfare guardians and property managers.


Carmel Walsh, Barrister, Bankside Chambers
Carmel has over 25 years’ experience as a litigator in New Zealand, Hong Kong, and England. She was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in New Zealand in 1993; and a solicitor and solicitor advocate (Higher Courts Civil) in London in 2000/2001. She holds both a New Zealand and English practising certificate. Carmel is a former contributing author to Informa’s Reinsurance Practice and the Law, and a former secretary and editor of the Negligence and Damages committee of the International Bar Association. Since returning to New Zealand Carmel has specialised in property litigation, equity and trusts, estates litigation and relationship property, particularly where complex issues arise requiring expert forensic accounting evidence. Carmel sits on the board of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, NZTrio and the New Zealand Opera School.


Kesia Denhardt, Barrister, Kate Sheppard Chambers
Kesia is a member of both Hepburn Chambers and Kate Sheppard Chambers. She handles all types of family law matters, with a particular interest in relationship property issues arising out of a separation, complex parenting and protection disputes, and reproductive law. Kesia has written and presented legal seminars on various family law issues and authored articles for a number of legal publications. Kesia is an appointed member of the FLS Advisory Panel focussed on family law reform. She has been an appointed member of a number of other committees, including the Auckland Women Lawyers’ Association and a NZLS Lawyers Standards Committee. Kesia is also an ambassador of White Ribbon New Zealand; appointed in recognition of her work in assisting victims of family violence.


Jeremy Johnson, Barrister, Arbitrator, Bankside Chambers
Jeremy is an experienced litigator and dispute resolution specialist with a proven track record in advocacy. He has particular expertise in commercial, insolvency, relationship property and equity and trust law. He is frequently instructed to appear as counsel in the courts and before arbitral tribunals. Since 2013 Jeremy has been recognised as a leader in his field in leading global directories most recently in the Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2020 and Chambers Asia-Pacific 2020 and Chambers Global 2020 legal guides. Jeremy is a Fellow of the Arbitrators’ and Mediators’ Institute of New Zealand for Arbitration; he is the youngest person to have achieved this distinction. He is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. Jeremy also received the Sir Ronald Davison Award for excellence in arbitral award writing. He is available to appear as counsel in arbitrations and to take appointments as an arbitrator. Jeremy was awarded the 2017 NZ Law Awards Artemis Executive Recruitment Young Private Practice Lawyer of the Year (under 35). Being described as “a clear winner in this category”, the judges praised Jeremy for having an impressive career to date. Prior to joining the bar Jeremy was a partner at Wynn Williams where he led the Dispute Resolution team for eight years and was the senior litigation partner by the time he left.


Dylan Pine, Director, Clendon Webb
Dylan, the director of Clendon Webb, founded the firm after recognizing a gap in the legal market for clear, comprehensive litigation advice with a focus on commercial outcomes. As an experienced litigation and dispute resolution lawyer, Dylan is admitted to practice in both New Zealand and Samoa. He regularly appears in civil and specialist courts. Clients value Dylan’s straightforward, strategic, and commercially sound advice. He is often praised as a “very good litigator” who is “quick to grasp the big picture” and a “great communicator.” Dylan prioritizes understanding his clients' challenges and collaborates closely with them to achieve the best possible outcomes.


Tracy Chubb, Barrister
Tracy is an Auckland Barrister who started out working primarily in civil litigation until she discovered her love of family law, which quickly became a large part of her practice, along with civil/commercial litigation. Her experience in both these areas of the law allows her to provide pragmatic advice and devise appropriate strategies to resolve complex legal issues for her clients, who come from both within and outside of New Zealand. Tracy has a strong focus on resolving matters out of Court where possible, or within the Court system when necessary. She is aware of the stresses and issues clients are presented with when faced with the breakup of their relationships and uses her experience and knowledge of the law to assist them to bring about a satisfactory outcome in as cost-efficient and practical manner as possible.


Tash Ryan, Solicitor, Morris Legal
Tash is a solicitor at Morris. Tash completed her LLB/BCJ at the University of Canterbury in 2021. Tash joined Morris in 2025. Prior to this, Tash started her career at Russell McVeagh. Tash has experience working on complex matters, providing effective and strategic legal advice and the management of client files. Tash has a keen interest in private client disputes and family matters, and provides general litigation support.

Explore critical legal developments, including setting aside nuptial settlements under section 182, claims against company and trust property, navigating complex trust and corporate structures, and exceptions to equal sharing. Leading experts will provide insights from recent cases and practical strategies to manage these increasingly common issues.

Presenters

Sarah Flett, Senior Solicitor, Morris Legal
Sarah Flett is a senior solicitor at Morris. Sarah completed her BA/LLB at the University of Canterbury. Before joining Morris in 2022, Sarah worked as a solicitor in the dispute resolution team at Parry Field Lawyers in Christchurch. Sarah has experience dealing with complex trust, estate and family disputes. She acts for trustees, executors, property managers, beneficiaries and HNW individuals. Sarah has appeared in the Family Court and High Court and has attended numerous mediations. Sarah also has expertise in capacity issues, including the removal and appointment of welfare guardians and property managers.


Carmel Walsh, Barrister, Bankside Chambers
Carmel has over 25 years’ experience as a litigator in New Zealand, Hong Kong, and England. She was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in New Zealand in 1993; and a solicitor and solicitor advocate (Higher Courts Civil) in London in 2000/2001. She holds both a New Zealand and English practising certificate. Carmel is a former contributing author to Informa’s Reinsurance Practice and the Law, and a former secretary and editor of the Negligence and Damages committee of the International Bar Association. Since returning to New Zealand Carmel has specialised in property litigation, equity and trusts, estates litigation and relationship property, particularly where complex issues arise requiring expert forensic accounting evidence. Carmel sits on the board of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, NZTrio and the New Zealand Opera School.


Kesia Denhardt, Barrister, Kate Sheppard Chambers
Kesia is a member of both Hepburn Chambers and Kate Sheppard Chambers. She handles all types of family law matters, with a particular interest in relationship property issues arising out of a separation, complex parenting and protection disputes, and reproductive law. Kesia has written and presented legal seminars on various family law issues and authored articles for a number of legal publications. Kesia is an appointed member of the FLS Advisory Panel focussed on family law reform. She has been an appointed member of a number of other committees, including the Auckland Women Lawyers’ Association and a NZLS Lawyers Standards Committee. Kesia is also an ambassador of White Ribbon New Zealand; appointed in recognition of her work in assisting victims of family violence.


Jeremy Johnson, Barrister, Arbitrator, Bankside Chambers
Jeremy is an experienced litigator and dispute resolution specialist with a proven track record in advocacy. He has particular expertise in commercial, insolvency, relationship property and equity and trust law. He is frequently instructed to appear as counsel in the courts and before arbitral tribunals. Since 2013 Jeremy has been recognised as a leader in his field in leading global directories most recently in the Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2020 and Chambers Asia-Pacific 2020 and Chambers Global 2020 legal guides. Jeremy is a Fellow of the Arbitrators’ and Mediators’ Institute of New Zealand for Arbitration; he is the youngest person to have achieved this distinction. He is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. Jeremy also received the Sir Ronald Davison Award for excellence in arbitral award writing. He is available to appear as counsel in arbitrations and to take appointments as an arbitrator. Jeremy was awarded the 2017 NZ Law Awards Artemis Executive Recruitment Young Private Practice Lawyer of the Year (under 35). Being described as “a clear winner in this category”, the judges praised Jeremy for having an impressive career to date. Prior to joining the bar Jeremy was a partner at Wynn Williams where he led the Dispute Resolution team for eight years and was the senior litigation partner by the time he left.


Dylan Pine, Director, Clendon Webb
Dylan, the director of Clendon Webb, founded the firm after recognizing a gap in the legal market for clear, comprehensive litigation advice with a focus on commercial outcomes. As an experienced litigation and dispute resolution lawyer, Dylan is admitted to practice in both New Zealand and Samoa. He regularly appears in civil and specialist courts. Clients value Dylan’s straightforward, strategic, and commercially sound advice. He is often praised as a “very good litigator” who is “quick to grasp the big picture” and a “great communicator.” Dylan prioritizes understanding his clients' challenges and collaborates closely with them to achieve the best possible outcomes.


Tracy Chubb, Barrister
Tracy is an Auckland Barrister who started out working primarily in civil litigation until she discovered her love of family law, which quickly became a large part of her practice, along with civil/commercial litigation. Her experience in both these areas of the law allows her to provide pragmatic advice and devise appropriate strategies to resolve complex legal issues for her clients, who come from both within and outside of New Zealand. Tracy has a strong focus on resolving matters out of Court where possible, or within the Court system when necessary. She is aware of the stresses and issues clients are presented with when faced with the breakup of their relationships and uses her experience and knowledge of the law to assist them to bring about a satisfactory outcome in as cost-efficient and practical manner as possible.


Tash Ryan, Solicitor, Morris Legal
Tash is a solicitor at Morris. Tash completed her LLB/BCJ at the University of Canterbury in 2021. Tash joined Morris in 2025. Prior to this, Tash started her career at Russell McVeagh. Tash has experience working on complex matters, providing effective and strategic legal advice and the management of client files. Tash has a keen interest in private client disputes and family matters, and provides general litigation support.