Separation is hard enough. Your lawyer should make it easier.

Everything you have built on the table. We are straight with you about your prospects and firm in pursuing them, so you always know where you stand.

WHAT YOU ARE FACING

We understand what this actually involves.

Separation is rarely just a legal matter. It is financial, emotional and practical, often all at once, and the legal side has to fit around everything else you are carrying. In practice, easier means we set the pace and do the chasing, you know the next step before you have to ask, and you can deal with us by Zoom or through the portal at whatever hour suits you rather than taking a day off work.

Property & assets

The family home, investments, KiwiSaver, business interests. You need clarity around what is relationship property and what is not.

Trusts

Family trusts and how assets held in trust are treated under the Act. This is a complex and often contested area.

Overseas assets

Property or assets in another country and how they affect your legal position under New Zealand law.

Maintenance and Economic Disparity

Support while matters are being resolved, and claims where one partner's income and career progressed during the relationship while the other's did not.

OUR NETWORK

You don't just get a lawyer. You get a support network.

We are a member of ADSI (Aotearoa Divorce & Separation Institute), which is a professional network of separation specialists. That means when your situation calls for something beyond legal advice, we can connect you with the right people directly. We recognise the importance of collaborating with professionally certified ADSI divorce coaches to achieve the best desired outcomes for our clients needs. Where we think the type of separation our client is going through would benefit from assistance of a divorce coach, we connect our clients with our network of divorce coaches, for a complimentary 30 minutes chat. A divorce coach will help you work through conflict management, effective communication, assist in managing overwhelm and emotions for a more amicable separation. For clients who have children, coaching is often the answer to having a healthy co-parenting relationship with their ex-partner, and some coaches will be able to help with co-parenting plans or preparation for FDR mediation of their parenting plan.

Who we can refer you to

Divorce coaches, financial advisors, counselors, mortgage advisors, and accountants — all experienced in separation. We don't leave you to find your own support team.

Divorce coaches

 Financial advisors

Counselors

Mortgage advisors

Accountants

JUSTFUND

Don't let cost stand in the way of a fair outcome.

We are affiliated with JustFund, a litigation funding service that provides financial support for clients who can't fund their own separation proceedings upfront. If cost is a concern, ask us about JustFund at your first meeting. Through this partnership, eligible clients can access a flexible line of credit to‬‭ cover legal fees and expenses related to separation or relationship property‬‭ proceedings. Please let us know if you think you may want to use JustFund’s service and we will assist you with the application process. 

WHAT WE CAN HELP WITH

The full scope of separation and relationship property work.

  • Advice on where you stand, including what is relationship property, what sits outside it, and the likely range of outcomesNegotiations of an outcome for you
  • Negotiating a settlement with the other side's lawyer
  • Preparing the separation and relationship property agreement
  • Independent advice and certification on an agreement the other side has prepared
  • Claims involving trust assets, and assets held overseas
  • Spousal maintenance and economic disparity claims
  • Review and certification of draft agreements
  • Updating your will, enduring power of attorney and any trust arrangements once the separation is complete

PRICING

Fixed fees. Confirmed upfront.

We work on fixed fees, confirmed after an initial assessment.

Package 01

Clean Break

$3,450 + GST

Couples who have already agreed how to divide the family home and everyday assets, and need it made binding. Short relationship, minimal shared assets. Straightforward property split with no trust or business interests involved. No support around negotiation of terms. Two month engagement.


Not a Clean Break if any apply: a family trust or active business; a separate-property, economic-disparity (s.15) or spousal-maintenance claim; a dispute over an asset's value or whether it is shared; division not yet agreed, or third-party complications. 


Package 02

The Guided Settlement

$7,550 + GST

Most separations: businesses, trusts, or disagreement about what's separate vs shared. You need an outcome negotiated for you. Everything in Clean Break, plus we negotiate an outcome for you · settlement strategy · treatment of business and trust assets · covers up to 1 active business and 3 properties · Four months engagement.

Package 03

The Disparity Settlement

from $12,000 + GST / scoped after initial consultation

Separations with a spousal-maintenance and/or economic-disparity (s.15) claim. Contested, evidence-heavy and time-consuming. Everything in Guided, plus preparation and negotiation of the maintenance / s.15 claim · income and earning-capacity analysis · quantum arguments · staged over 5-month cycles

Package 04

The High Stakes Settlement

From $20,000 + GST / scoped after initial consultation

 Large or complicated asset bases, trust-busting arguments and/or spousal-maintenance and/or economic disparity claims, high conflict. Scope confirmed after consultation. Includes coordination with valuers, forensic accountants & trustees · stages over 5-month cycles.

Initial consultation $600+GST, the cost of which credited toward the price package if you proceed with a separation package. We will confirm which package applies to your situation after the initial consultation. Full terms of offers, including exclusions, available upon request.

OUR PROMISE

You will only pay for the work your situation needs.

If the two of you have already agreed how things are divided, the job is to record it properly and certify it, and we will tell you that rather than run a negotiation you do not need. Where there is a trust, a business or an asset overseas, the work is more involved and we will explain why before you commit to it. What does not change is that a division of relationship property is only binding if it is documented and each of you has had independent legal advice, so the informal version is the one that comes back.

WHAT CLIENTS SAY

From people who've been through it.

"I loved having Polina as my lawyer. I could clearly see she cared for me not only as a client but also as a person, which is especially important when you are going through a painful matter. Polina is professional, concise and quick to answers any questions you may have."


— Client Google Review

"Polina was very professional and efficient. She explained the agreement thoroughly, helped ensure everything was correct, and made sure my interest were well protected. Her quick communication made the whole process smooth and fast, which I really appreciated".


— Client Google Review

Start with a conversation.

A free 15-minute call to understand your situation. No commitment, no pressure — just clarity on where you stand and what the next step looks like.