Presenters

Emily Flaszynski, Principal, Mortlock McCormack Law
Emily leads the Relationship Property and Family Law team at MML in Christchurch where she specialises in separation, the division of relationship property, childcare, protection, and any other issues that affect families including contentious trust and estate disputes. Together with practicing at MML, Emily is also an Associate with Arbitrators and Mediators Institute of New Zealand and a Member of the Canterbury Earthquake Insurance Tribunal where she presides over residential insurance claim disputes arising out of the Canterbury Earthquake Sequence. With a background in dispute resolution and problem solving, and drawing on her expertise as a trained mediator, Emily assists parents to engage constructively with each other to find realistic pragmatic, sensible and beneficial outcomes for their children and themselves. Where agreement cannot be reached, or if urgent intervention is required, she represents her clients in Court. Having 3 teenagers herself and being involved with schools as a Board of Trustees member for many years, Emily understands the complications that can arise when schools are pulled into family disputes. Emily draws on this experience when assisting parents through the process following separation.

Shane Buckner, Principal, Rangiora Borough School
Shane Buckner is an experienced Principal with a demonstrated history of working in education leadership. With over 35 years as a teacher, leader, and Principal, he is passionate about sharing his knowledge and skills in the education sector. Shane is the current Principal of Rangiora Borough School in North Canterbury. Immediate Past President of Canterbury Primary Principals’ Association, he has been actively involved in the regional leadership as an executive member for 12 years, with business partnership liaison and membership hauora as key portfolio areas undertaken. Shane has presented internationally on the Deprivitisation of Teaching Practice to inform andragogical learning and development. This aligns with his advocacy of collaboration in the teaching space. Elected in 2020 as an Executive member for the New Zealand Principals’ Federation, his portfolio areas include advocating for inclusion, diversity and learning support, and more recently supporting with the development of new curriculum initiatives to the principal sector as part of the Curriculum Pou