This half-day online conference brings together leading New Zealand practitioners and experts to tackle some of the most complex issues in relationship property law. Explore practical strategies for dealing with trusts, companies and valuations and gain clear guidance on managing section 15 economic disparity claims. Through worked scenarios and expert discussion, you’ll learn how to unravel intricate asset structures, interpret valuation evidence, and approach difficult property divisions with confidence and precision.

Presenters

Helen Radinovich, Barrister, Hobson Chambers
Helen practises in all areas of family law, including relationship property, trust and estate claims, spousal maintenance, care of children and family violence. She has been on TLANZ’s Family Law Committee since 2018 and the NZLS’ Family Law Section Advisory Panel since 2019. Helen regularly presents seminars on family law topics.

Sian Heppleston, Analyst, Hussey & Co
Sian Heppleston joined Hussey & Co as an Analyst in January 2019. She is a member of the specialist team, providing opinions on financial matters, often related to disputes. Such includes valuation, assessment of economic loss and undertaking forensic accounting assignments. Sian primarily assists with valuations and assessments of economic loss relating to relationship property and commercial disputes.

Jay Shaw, Grant Thornton New Zealand
Jay’s focus is on providing robust and commercial advice relating to the valuation of shares, businesses and intangible assets. He also provides forensic accounting services in a wide range of matters including shareholder disputes, financial investigations, and relationship property proceedings. Jay has given business valuation and forensic accounting expert evidence in the High Court, Family Court and in other dispute resolution forums. Jay enjoys working with businesses from a variety of industries, ranging from entrepreneurial privately held businesses through to large listed multinational companies. He has extensive business valuation experience across a wide range of industries and sectors. From 2017 to 2024, Jay at on the Business Valuation Board of the International Valuation Standards Council (IVSC), a leading independent body in setting valuation standards globally. Jay is formally approved by Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand as a Business Valuation Specialist, which recognises he has undertaken specific relevant study and gained experience to the level he is considered to have specialist skills in business valuation. He is a committee member of the CAANZ business valuation special interest group.

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.

Thomas Smith, Senior Manager, Grant Thornton
Thomas Smith is a Senior Manager at Grant Thornton, based in Auckland, with a core focus on business valuations. He has nearly a decade of experience across Canada and New Zealand. His focus is working with mid-market privately held businesses, typically valued between $5 million and $100 million. Thomas has prepared valuations for a wide range of purposes, including transactions, shareholder disputes, intangible asset valuations, impairment testing, and economic damages. His work spans clients across diverse industries. In addition to his valuation expertise, Thomas has experience in mid-market M&A, primarily in lead sell-side advisory roles. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant and holds the Chartered Business Valuator designation.

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.

Amy Malone, Senior Associate, MacDonald Lewis Law
Amy graduated from Victoria University with a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws in 2001. Amy is an experienced advocate in all areas of litigation and has spent the past 9 years working exclusively in family law. Amy has particular expertise in relationship property, trust and estate litigation and is committed to achieving positive outcomes for her clients. Amy regularly presents papers for Legalwise Seminars.

Nic Lawrence, Barrister, Bankside Chambers
Nic has risen through the ranks of the New Zealand legal system with speed. After graduating in 2015 he was a senior associate in Wynn Williams’ dispute resolution team by 2019. After a year overseas he was back in New Zealand and junioring for Bob Hollyman KC and Jeremy Johnson at Shortland Chambers and Bankside Chambers respectively. In 2024 Nic became a member of Bankside Chambers and has continued to build on his reputation as one of New Zealand’s top young commercial barristers. Nic has considerable experience in Court, having been lead counsel on a number of multi-day trials in the High Court and Family Court. He is regularly instructed to act on complex, high value and contentious disputes at short notice with clients under considerable pressure to deliver. He excels when matters are difficult and a cool head is required. Nic’s strength is being able to drive his clients’ interests forward with purpose, creating opportunities and ensuring his clients are negotiating from a position of legal and strategic strength.