Farm Property
- Buying and selling
- Subdivision
- Leases and licences to occupy
- Sharemilking agreements
- Dairy company shares
- Financing arrangements
- Grazing or cropping agreements
- Rural conveyancing
- Forestry
Rural Compliance
- On-farm health and safety issues
- Employment agreements
- Overseas investment applications
- Dispute resolution
- Tax planning
- Resource consents and resource management matters
- Accident compensation (ACC)
- Environmental
- Effluent Discharges and consents
- Trading Among Farmers (TAF)
Succession Planning & Ownership Structures
- Limited partnerships
- Syndications and equity agreements
- Partnerships
- Asset protection
- Relationship property agreements
- Wills
- Memorandum of wishes
- Trusts
I found the team a pleasure to deal with. They made the whole process very easy to follow.
Anonymous
Rural Specialists
Alice Tocher
Partner
Alice Tocher
Partner
Alice has been a Partner of Govett Quilliam since 2014 and has expertise in property, corporate and commercial law. Alice has used her expertise to provide specialist in-house support to several Oil & Gas Corporates. Now she co-leads the Corporate and Commercial Team. Alice, together with her team, works hard to provide each client with a bespoke legal experience.
Expertise
Alice has a broad range of corporate, commercial and property law experience. She has worked with all manner of clients from a national infrastructure company, oil and gas corporates, property developers and farmers through to local entrepreneurs and business owners and residential home buyers and sellers. She has developed particular expertise in property rights and interests, including land access agreements, easement agreements, commercial leases, subdivisions, and residential and commercial sales and purchases. In acting for you, Alice focuses on getting to know you and your business. She strongly believes that developing a good working relationship with her clients is first and foremost.
Outside of Govett Quilliam
Alice enjoys spending her spare time with her husband, her two young children, and her friends. She appreciates good food and keeps fit by running. Alice is a board member of the Taranaki Hockey Federation.
Contact Alice Tocher
Partner
Catherine Grogan
Partner
Catherine Grogan
Partner
Catherine joined Govett Quilliam in 2013 and works at both our Inglewood and New Plymouth offices. She manages our Personal Planning Team (Trusts, Wills & Estates) and also works closely with the Property Team.
Expertise
Catherine has been a practising lawyer for nearly 20 years and has a depth of experience in personal planning. She has great knowledge of the rural sector having worked as legal counsel for Westland Dairy Company in Hokitika before joining the team at Govett Quilliam and while in private practice has acted for clients on many succession plans.
Her current practice area focuses on asset protection and trust matters and she frequently advises on Occupation Right Agreements. Catherine has developed expertise in drafting Enduring Powers of Attorney and Wills over the years. She also has extensive experience in conveyancing and sound knowledge of commercial matters having acted for many businesses.
Catherine acts for non-profit organisations and charitable trusts in the Taranaki region.
Outside of Govett Quilliam
Catherine is the mother of 4 young children which keeps her very busy! She manages and coaches a variety of sports teams which her children are involved with and is also an active member of the St Pius X Home & School committee.
Cooking and baking is not one of Catherine’s strengths but she is great at appreciating good food and wine. When she has some time to herself she loves a good book.
Catherine also enjoys playing tennis and netball and when she has the time (and energy) loves to participate in adventure racing.
Contact Catherine Grogan
Partner
Margaret Steiner-Joyce
Consultant
Margaret Steiner-Joyce
Consultant
Margaret is a very experienced Registered Legal Executive and Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives. She joined Govett Quilliam in 1986 and was made a Consultant in 2004. Margaret has a special interest in rural matters affecting farmers.
Expertise
As a dairy farmer and business owner herself, Margaret has experience in hands on dairying as well as legal issues concerning farmers.
Margaret has also dealt and continues to deal with farmers negotiating with oil companies, buying and selling dairy farms, residential property matters, wills, trusts, commercial business sales and trusts. Margaret has a good relationship with many outside organisations.
Outside of Govett Quilliam
Margaret has five children and is actively involved in the PTA at Sacred Heart Girls' College New Plymouth, as well as the St Josephs Church community in New Plymouth. In addition to her work at GQ, Margaret also owns and operates the Oakura Beach Front Apartments.
Margaret enjoys ballet, farming and spending time with her family.
Contact Margaret Steiner-Joyce
Consultant
Rod Gordon
Consultant
Rod Gordon
Consultant
Rod Gordon began his practice in Stratford in 1976. Following the amalgamation of Rod Gordon Solicitor and Barrister and Govett Quilliam in 2022, Rod is now a consultant in our Stratford office.
Expertise
Rod specialises in rural and residential conveyancing, trusts, commercial work, and estates. He is genuinely passionate about the practice of law and is relishing the opportunity to continue to represent the interests of his current and future clients, as a consultant with GQ.
Rod undertakes legal work for many community, school and charitable organisations in the central Taranaki area on an honorary solicitor basis.
Outside of Govett Quilliam
Rod was born and bred in Stratford, and lives there with his wife Maree. Rod has four adult children and is a very proud grandfather. When he is not spending time with his family, Rod likes to head out for some hunting and fishing - both saltwater and fresh.Contact Rod Gordon
Consultant
Katrina Lyons
Lawyer
Katrina Lyons
Lawyer
Katrina joined GQ in November 2022, as a Lawyer in our rural and property teams. Katrina works from our New Plymouth and Inglewood offices.
Expertise
Katrina is from a dairy farming family in Hawkes Bay, and it's that farming upbringing that ignited Katrina's passion for the agriculture sector and rural law. Katrina has recently completed her Law and Management Studies (Agribusiness) degrees at the University of Waikato. Both Katrina's personal background and study give her the knowledge and insight to draw from to provide specialist rural law advice for clients.
Outside of Govett Quilliam
New to Taranaki, Katrina is keen on getting involved in the rural community, checking out the beaches, cafes, and outdoor activities that Taranaki has to offer.
Contact Katrina Lyons
Lawyer
Sandy Ellice
Senior Legal Executive
Sandy Ellice
Senior Legal Executive
Sandy originally joined Govett Quilliam in 1978 and left after a few years to have her family. Sandy returned in 1994 and worked as a personal assistant to John Eagles for some years before undertaking and completing her Legal Executive qualification. She was made a Fellow of the Legal Executives Institute of New Zealand in May 2012.
Expertise
Sandy works as a legal executive in the Inglewood office and undertakes a large portion of the conveyancing generated through that office. She is also responsible for
She also has a keen interest in elder law and is responsible for estate administration at the Inglewood office.
Outside of Govett Quilliam
Sandy enjoys her grandchildren, the outdoors, travel and dancing (all genres but mainly ceroc and ballroom).
Contact Sandy Ellice
Senior Legal Executive
Julie Peterson
Legal Support
Julie Peterson
Legal Support
On leaving school in 1975 Julie was employed by Deem & Shearer (which then merged with Govett Quilliam) and she has been with us ever since.
Following the merger with Govett Quilliam in 2004 she became a qualified Legal Executive after obtaining her NZLS Legal Executive Diploma.
Expertise
Julie works primarily as a Legal Support to our property and rural teams which keeps her busy and engaged.
Outside of Govett Quilliam
Julie is involved in volunteer work in her spare time, and also enjoys reading, knitting and watching sport.
Contact Julie Peterson
Legal Support