Do you want to build confidence in managing relationship property matters from start to finish. This practical “crash course” is designed for you. Covering everything from the first client meeting, disclosure and financial analysis to s21A agreements, pleadings and hearing preparation, the programme offers clear guidance, practical examples and expert insights from leading barristers, partners and financial specialists across New Zealand. You will leave confident in your new information, strategies and skills.
Friday, 27 February 2026
Description
Attend and earn 7 CPD hours
10.40am to 10.55am Morning Break
12.30pm to 1.15pm How to Draft and Advise on s21A Agreements
- Drafting checklist
- Drafting issues for addressing disclosure shortcomings
- Drafting options for dealing with assets in trusts and companies (eg third party ratification options)
- Certification requirements: What are your obligations?
Presented by Matthew Peploe, Partner, Harkness Henry and Jessie Sanders, Associate, Harkness Henry
3.00pm to 4.00pm A Judicial Settlement Conferences: Preparing, Drafting, Advising on Risk and Settlement Options
- What is the best way to represent your client at a judicial settlement conference including
- How to prepare them for the process
- How to craft a memorandum for a judicial settlement conference
- How to manage your client and the opposing party at a judicial settlement conference
- How to get the best out of any expert who may attend the conference or is involved with your matter as well as judge at the settlement conference
Presented by Louise Reed, Barrister, Southern Cross Chambers
4.00pm to 4.15pm Afternoon Break
4.15pm to 5.15pm Preparing for Hearing: “How to Put Your Client’s Best Foot Forward”, Approaches to Examination-in-Chief and Cross-Examination, How to Elicit the Most Relevant Evidence During the Hearing
- Prehearing Conference memoranda: What’s in and what’s out?
- Basic guidelines for expert witnesses before trial: What is hot-tubbing?
- The art of how to use open questions: evidence in chief made easy!
- Cross examination: the tricks and the pitfalls
Presented by Kay Hoult, Partner, Niemand Peebles Hoult
Session 1: Initial Conversations, Identifying the Assets, Obligations to Conciliate & Settlement
Chair: Helen Tyree, Director, McWilliam Tyree
11.45am to 12.30pm Options for Dispute Resolution: Should this Matter be Litigated, Mediated or Arbitrated?
- Early identification of relevant dispute dynamics
- Key pros and cons of different dispute resolution options
- Top tips when obtaining instructions from your client on options for dispute resolution
Presented by Genevieve Haszard, Barrister, Kate Sheppard Chambers
Learning Objectives:
- Learn how to manage client expectations and lay solid foundations for the matter
- Understand how to identify and classify assets, including gifts and inheritances
- Build confidence interpreting financial statements involving companies, trusts & partnerships
- Know how to guide clients on mediation, arbitration, or litigation options
- Learn to draft clear, compliant s21A agreements that protect your client’s interests
9.00am to 9.50am Preparing Effectively for the First Client Meeting
- Establishing rapport and managing client expectations
- Discussing post-separation claims and clarifying the law
- Explaining the difference between discretionary awards and legal entitlements
- Gathering key information and identifying next steps
- Setting clear boundaries, costs, and communication frameworks
Presented by Alice Strang, Barrister, Brintyn Smith Barrister
2.00pm to 3.00pm Drafting Effective Pleadings and Submissions
- Craft your case from start to finish
- Learn how PRA drafting differs from other Family Court pleadings
- Get tips for focusing and structuring your written material so the Judge can actually give you what you want at the end of the case
Presented by Jodi Ryan, Barrister, Kumutoto Chambers
9.50am to 10.40am Identifying the Relationship Property Pool
- What disclosure is required?
- Identifying property as either relationship or separate property
- Dealing with the ‘tricky’ items such as gifts, inheritances and pre-relationship assets
Presented by Sarah Bush, Barrister, Wyndham Chambers
10.55am to 11.45am Financial Analysis: What Does It All Mean?
Break down how to read and interpret financial statements involving companies, trusts and partnerships in relationship property matters, helping you identify key issues, red flags and what really matters for your client’s case.
Presented by Sam Bassett, Director, Moore Markhams
Session 2: When it Doesn’t Settle: From Pleadings through to Preparing for Hearing
Chair: Helen Tyree, Director, McWilliam Tyree
Learning Objectives:
- Develop concise, persuasive written advocacy for the Court
- Learn practical skills to prepare clients and manage settlement discussions effectively
- Strengthen advocacy skills to present and test evidence confidently at hearing
Presenters
Jessie Sanders, Associate, Harkness Henry
Jessie works in the Estates, Family and Trust Team at Harkness Henry. She specialises in the area of relationship property and also advises on estates and other family matters. She has more than 15 years’ experience working in most areas of Family Law, having previously worked under Rhonda Evans in Auckland. Jessie likes working with clients and colleagues in a collaborative way to reach resolution of matters without the need for Court intervention where possible. Jessie’s work is heavily focused on drafting both contracting out agreements and separation and relationship property agreements.
Sarah Bush, Barrister, Wyndham Chambers
Sarah has been practising in family law for over 20 years. She is committed to working with clients to find solutions to their legal problems, whether by negotiation or court proceedings. She is experienced in all areas of family law including; relationship property, spousal maintenance, care of children and domestic violence. Sarah was the first lawyer in New Zealand to successfully argue an economic disparity case for her client. She is a trained mediator and has conducted a large number of family mediations.
Matthew Peploe, Partner, Harkness Henry
Matthew leads Harkness Henry’s Estates, Family and Trust team. He specialises in helping individuals and families manage the complexities of family property – from estate planning, trust management and navigating the division of property following separation. He has particular expertise in managing the complexities that arise when trust law and relationship property law intersect.
Louise Reed, Barrister, Southern Cross Chambers
Louise is a barrister at Southern Cross Chambers. She has practised in family law, employment law, insurance law and general civil litigation since her admission to the bar in 2004. Since 2009 Louise has practised exclusively in the area of family law and has particular interests in children's proceedings, relationship property, trust disputes and proceedings under the Protection and Personal Property Rights Act 1988. She appears regularly in the Family Court and has been involved in appeals to both the High Court and Court of Appeal in respect of relationship property and spousal maintenance matters. Louise is on the lawyer for child list and also lawyer for subject person list. She is also appointed as lawyer to assist the court.
Helen Tyree, Director, McWilliam Tyree
Helen is a Director of McWilliam Tyree Lawyers, having been an Associate and then Senior Associate at McWilliam Rennie (predecessor of McWilliam Tyree) since 2014. Helen has practiced all areas of family law since 2003. As well as acting for clients in all areas of family law, Helen has undertaken regular appointments as lawyer for child and as lawyer for subject persons under the Protection of Personal and Property Rights Act since 2008. Helen is also a contributing author for the legal publication “Brookers Family Law on Family Property”, writing about relationship property agreements (separation agreements, contracting-out agreements, and setting aside those agreements). She also contributed significantly to McWilliam Rennie’s submissions to the Law Commission in relation to their review of relationship property and then succession law. She has presented seminars for Legalwise on a range of relationship property matters, relationship property law developments and on the Protection of Personal and Property Rights Act.
Jodi Ryan, Barrister, Kumutoto Chambers
Jodi has been in practice since 2005 as a specialist family lawyer, commencing practice in Porirua, continuing in Tāmaki Makaurau, then settling in Te Whanganui a Tara. She set up her own practice as a barrister sole in 2015 and established Kumutoto Chambers with Shelley Stevenson and Frances Williams in 2020. Jodi’s main areas of practice are relationship property and care of children work, but she enjoys the wide variety of all aspects of Family Law. She is a former regional representative of the Family Law Section and a former member of the Executive Committee of that Section. Jodi receives appointments as lawyer for the child and particularly enjoys the privilege of advocating for tamariki Māori. Ahakoa te makaro o tōna whakapapa, he kakano ia i ruia mai i Rangiatea.
Sam Bassett, Director, Moore Markhams
Sam is currently the National Chairman of the Moore Markhams group of Chartered Accounting firms in New Zealand. He is a Partner in Business Advisory Services in Auckland. He works with many small- medium sized law firms and barristers to assist them with profit improvement and succession strategy. In May 2019, 2022 and 2024 Sam successfully completed the Moore Alumni Leadership program at the Harvard Business School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the United States. Sam has completed the CAANZ Business Valuation specialisation course provided by Macquarie University and is a Business Valuation specialist. He I regularly provide specialist independent financial opinions regarding business valuation often assisting with Family Court disputes including business valuations and the calculation of post separation earnings and related calculations including claims pursuant to s15 of the Property (Relationships) Act 1976. Sam has been appointed directly by the Family Court to undertake valuation work and by the High Court to act as a professional Trustee or Executor for Trusts and Estates in recent years.
Alice Strang, Barrister, Brintyn Smith Barrister
Aly is a specialist family law barrister and legal aid provider. She handles family law legal matters with a special interest in advocacy, procedural and interlocutory matters. Aly routinely appears in the Family Court in respect to parenting and guardianship disputes, Family Violence, Oranga Tamariki and Relationship Property matters. While passionate about litigation, Aly also places significant emphasis on resolving disputes amicably through mediation and collaborative approaches.
Kay Hoult, Partner, Niemand Pebbles Hoult
Kay studied for her Law Degree at Waikato University, graduating with First Class Honours. Prior to commencing practice with Johan Niemand in 2009, Kay was a partner at a law firm in Hamilton. Over the years Kay has specialised in general litigation with a particular focus on relationship property and trust matters. Kay is a qualified mediator and frequently leads Family Dispute Resolution Mediations. She also has experience in the Coroner's Court. The Family Court appoints Kay to act for children in family disputes. In 2011, Kay received the Family Law Award at the annual New Zealand Law Awards. In 2012, Kay received the New Zealand Litigation and Dispute Resolution Award. Kay is a Council member of Age Concern Hamilton. She also is a judicial officer and sits as a Disputes Tribunal Referee.
Genevieve Haszard, Barrister, Kate Sheppard Chambers
Genevieve is a barrister based in Tauranga and Member of Kate Sheppard Chambers. She is one of the elected area representatives on the New Zealand Bar Association | Ngā Ahorangi Motuhake o te Ture Council and one of the Association’s four Vice-Presidents. She also sits on the Associations Family, Trusts and Estate Committee. Genevieve is an experienced criminal and civil barrister, with over 25 years’ experience. She undertakes a variety of work including Coronial Inquests, Family, Trust and Estate litigation, including appeals.
