- Bachelor of Laws, Otago University 1994
- Bachelor of Arts (English major), Otago University 1994
- Diploma in International Trust Management, Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners 2007
- Member of Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners
- Member of The Law Association (formerly Auckland District Law Society)
Emma is a knowledgeable practitioner with a broad base of experience in the private client arena and a wealth of experience in Trust Law. She is a great listener and communicator and enjoys meeting, getting to know and working with her clients.
Emma joined Pitt & Moore in early 2021 and leads the Senior Law and Succession team.
She returned to Nelson to practice law in 2007 after having worked in London and in Lausanne, Switzerland for a boutique firm offering offshore wealth structuring and succession planning services. Whilst there, she completed a diploma in International Trust Management to gain the internationally recognised STEP designation of Trust & Estate Practitioner (TEP).
Emma takes the time to ensure her clients feel comfortable and that she truly understands their needs. She considers this crucial to providing bespoke services to meet her clients’ objectives and the giving of reliable pragmatic advice.
Emma’s core areas are now in trusts, inheritance planning, estate administration, senior law and relationship property.
Emma provides pragmatic advice to clients in relation to a wide ambit of matters arising in this field including the establishment, restructuring, resettling and the winding up of trusts and dealing with contentious issues. Emma has extensive experience in advising on trust administration and best practice which is under the spotlight as a result to the new Trusts Act 2019 and carries out trust reviews to ensure terms are fit for purpose for the future.
Emma has wide ranging experience providing advice to individuals and families in asset protection, asset structuring and inheritance planning as well as assisting with key personal documentation such as Wills, Powers of Attorney and property sharing agreements.
She has a thorough understanding of the rules around residential care subsidies and provides guidance to applicants and their families having to navigate this at a time of high emotional and financial stress.
Emma works in conjunction with the Senior Law team in the administration of estates and advises on challenges and claims against estates.
Emma provides assistance and advice in relationship property, both in preparation of contracting out agreements for people in happy relationships but also where relationship property settlements are necessary if a relationship has broken down irreparably.