Our People
We are a legal firm practicing in Auckland’s inner city.
Richard Connell
LLB (Hons) | richard@connell.co.nz
Richard is our Civil Litigation and Property Partner. He is also a Notary Public and has a good understanding of overseas requirements. He has extensive experience in the following areas of law:
- Conveyancing
- Litigation and mediations in various Courts including District Court, High Court, Court of Appeal and Family Court
- Estates and trusts including Family Protection claims and other claims disputing or defending provisions in wills
- Commercial transactions including refinancing, sales and purchase of business, company law including shareholders agreements and covenants
- Estate planning and trusts
Richard enjoys gardening, cooking and spending time at Lang’s Beach with his family.
Jane Connell
LLM (Hons) | jane@connell.co.nz
Jane is our Family Partner. She specialises in all areas of family law including parenting (orders to prevent overseas travel and Hague Convention cases), guardianship, child support, spousal maintenance, trust, and estate litigation as well as civil litigation, mediation.
She also undertakes drafting and reviewing contracting out agreements, trusts and wills. She regularly appears in the Family Court and High Court and participates in mediations with experienced mediators in relation to disputes that have not been possible to resolve. She has recently been successful with an appeal in a relationship property matter.
On the weekends, Jane enjoys spending time at Lang’s Beach or with her young grandchildren.
Pauleen Clark
Partner | pauleen@connell.co.nz
Pauleen is a Senior Family Lawyer. She is very passionate about helping people during extremely stressful and vulnerable moments in their lives.
She has extensive experience in all areas of family law including care of children, division of relationship property, advice on contracting out agreements, PPPR Act applications, family violence, child support, spousal maintenance, Family Protection and Testamentary Promises claims. She often appears in the Family Court and attends various alternative dispute resolution methods (private mediations/round table meetings).
Pauleen is a busy mum to two young boys. She is fluent in both English and Filipino (Philippines) and is currently learning Spanish. She enjoys travelling (especially to tropical holidays).
Our Support Staff
Bridget Lazzari
Office Manager/Legal Assistant | bridget@connell.co.nz
Bridget is our Office Manager who has been working with Richard and Jane for the last 20 years. Her support keeps the firm running like a well-oiled machine. Outside of work Bridget is a busy wife and mum to her two young children, enjoys baking and spending time with her close-knit family.
Julia Shin
Junior Law Clerk | julia@connell.co.nz
Julia is our Junior Law Clerk who is passionate about being of service to others and legal matters concerning the care of children and relationship property. She is fluent in both English and native Korean. In her spare time, she enjoys staying active at the gym or dojang, making music or spending time with whanau and friends.