L AW TA L K 9 3 7 · M arc h 2 0 2 0
Duggan moved to Nelson in 2004, where she continued to work as a sole practitioner, specialising in family law with an emphasis on child law and relationship property. She was approved as lawyer for child, lawyer for subject person and a panelist for the Central Authority for Hague Convention cases. She was appointed a Deputy Lawyer Member of the Mental Health Review Tribunal in 2011. During her legal career, Judge Duggan had extensive New Zealand Law Society involvement, including as the Nelson branch President, as the Chair of the Family Law Section and Convenor of the Nelson branch standards committee.
Hana Ellis Judge Ellis was sworn in at Manukau District Court on 4 March as a District Court Judge with Family Court jurisdiction to be based in Whangārei. Judge Ellis is of Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Porou descent. She was admitted in June 1993 and commenced her career as a barrister sole undertaking District and High Court work. Between 1995 and 1998 she was a solicitor at the Māngere Community Law Centre, then from 1998 to 2001 she was an associate with Recordon & Co practising in criminal, civil, ACC, family, tribunal and mental health matters. Between 2001 and 2010, Judge Ellis was a partner at Otene & Ellis specialising in family law and mental health matters, as well as being appointed as lawyer for child and lawyer to assist. From 2010 she practised as a barrister predominantly in South Auckland, initially in Quadrant Chambers and, from 2017, at Matariki Chambers, continuing her work in the areas of general family law, lawyer for child and lawyer to assist, as well as lawyer for care recipient and subject person, and in Family Dispute Resolution and private mediation work.
Tony Greig Judge Greig was sworn in at Christchurch District Court on 11 February as a District Court Judge with both jury and Family Court jurisdictions to be based in New
PEOPLE
Plymouth. Judge Greig emigrated from the United Kingdom in 1983, and worked as a police officer for his first 10 years in New Zealand. He was admitted in May 1998 and joined Wynn Williams as a solicitor, followed by Glover Sewell in 1999. He then worked for the UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda from 2000 to 2002. From 2002 he practised as a barrister in Rangiora and gained extensive criminal and Family Court experience. Judge Greig also tutored in criminal law at Canterbury University from 2002 to 2006.
Nicola Grimes Judge Grimes was sworn in at Nelson District Court on 10 February as a District Court Judge with Family Court jurisdiction to be based in Hamilton. Judge Grimes was admitted to the bar in Wellington in November 1990, where she worked both in firms and as a barrister. From 2002 she practised in Nelson at Rout Milner Fitchett before joining Knapps as a senior associate in 2014. In both firms she was responsible for all aspects of family law and regularly received court appointments. Judge Grimes spent time as chair of the Nelson Family Courts Association from 2008, was the Nelson Family Law Section representative for a number of years and was vice-president of the Nelson branch of the Law Society from April 2018 until her appointment.
Quentin Hix Judge Hix was sworn in at Arowhenua Marae near Temuka on 29 February as a District Court Judge to be based in Christchurch. Of Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Māmoe, Waitaha, Hawea and Rapuwai descent, Judge Hix practised as a barrister and a solicitor
after his admission in November 1989. Commencing practice in Christchurch, in 1992 he joined the Timaru practice of Petrie Mayman Clark, becoming a partner in 1994. From 2004 Judge Hix practised in his own firm, Quentin Hix Legal Ltd. During his legal career he was an accredited LEADR mediator, a lay member of the NZ Health Practitioners’ Disciplinary Tribunal and Judicial Officer on the South Canterbury Rugby Union Judicial Committee. He has served in a number of governance roles including as an appointed member of the South Canterbury District Health Board from 2000 to 2009. Roles held at his appointment included being a director of Dunedin City Holdings Ltd, deputy chair of the Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd and a board member for Presbyterian Support South Canterbury. Judge Hix was appointed the local representative on Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu in January 2010, stepping down from that role in mid-2019, and he has completed just over eight years as a director of Ngāi Tahu Holdings Ltd. In August 2018 he was appointed a member of the Safe and Effective Justice Advisory Group – Te Uepū Hāpai I Te Ora.
Michelle Howard-Sager Judge Howard-Sager was sworn in at Whanganui District Court on 13 February as a District Court Judge with Family Court jurisdiction to be based in Kaikohe. Judge Howard-Sager is of Whakatōhea, Ngāpuhi and Pākehā descent. She was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in September 1997 and from 1998 to 2004 worked as a family and criminal lawyer for the Whanganui Crown Solicitor. As a family lawyer, she worked in the areas of care of children and family violence as well as relationship property matters. She also appeared on appeals to the High Court, assisted and ran jury trials, appeared in the District Court in relation to departmental 17