Firm Profile for Parry Field Lawyers - Christchurch

Peter van Rij

Peter joined Parry Field in 1975 and is the senior partner at the firm.

He focuses on business and company matters including commercial problem solving, negotiations, litigation, leases contracts, intellectual property and software, superannuation, finance and securities, international contracts, supply and distribution agreements. Peter has extensive civil litigation experience and has appeared for clients at the Privy Council twice on commercial issues.

Peter is a director of several companies, is actively involved in his church and has been a member of the Middleton Grange School Board of Trustees for some time

Ken Lord

Ken joined Parry Field in 1980 becoming a partner with Peter in September 1980. Ken's focus is on Property and Personal law with strong interests in issues relating to the elderly and charitable trusts and an interest in resource management law. Ken derives particular pleasure from the people and family aspects of law; if he is your business lawyer, he also wishes to assist in your personal and family matters. His goal is to provide for all your legal needs, either personally or from the resources within the firm, or from his many personal contacts outside the firm if necessary.

Ken is an active member of a Rotary Club (President in 2002) as well as a keen musician and more recently - a competitive road cycling racer.

Grant Adams

Grant joined Parry Field in 1986 and became a partner the following year. Grant practices in commercial and business law although is increasingly focusing on his role as Practice Manager. Although his client base is mainly commercial, he also enjoys dealing with the personal and legal requirements of individuals involved in businesses. Having come from a rural background he has a number of rural clients and is also involved in trust work.

Grant is a trustee of a number of trusts and has also served on the Burnside High School Board of Trustees (including as chairman for four years). In his spare time he is involved variously in playing squash, mountain bike riding, church and family activities and plenty of reading.

Paul Cowey

Paul specialises in litigation and has been a partner at Parry Field since 2000. His expertise has added depth to dispute settlement support which we provide our clients and enabled us to expand the litigation arm of our services.

Paul spent his early life and University studies in Christchurch with several years schooling in the Netherlands and six years practicing (Civil Litigation) in Fiji.

Lois Flanagan

Lois works from our City office. She became a partner in October 2007. The majority of her work is in the Employment field where she provides advice both to employees and employers. She also specialises in Family Law as well as Privacy and human resource issues. Wills, estates and some court work round out Lois's practice. Lois came to the practice of the law from a varied teaching career both in New Zealand and overseas. She brings extensive life experience to our firm.

Lois is a trustee of a community based charitable trust but is more famous for her contribution to the law (in addition to her own obvious skills!) in the form of her three sons who are also lawyers (one of whom has already appeared before the Privy Council).

Tim Rankin

Tim joined Parry Field in 1996. He works at our City office focusing on commercial/business law and property transactions. Tim's time with Parry Field was interrupted by a six year stint working for a major investment bank in Dublin and London. He returned to Parry Field in 2007

Kris Morrison

Kris joined Parry Field in 2002. He works at our City office and focuses on commercial/business law, property, trusts, intellectual property and litigation.

Kris's previous experience included two years as the research counsel for Principal Family Court Judge Mahony. He also tutored Contract Law at Victoria University of Wellington and Tort Law and Land Law at the University of Canterbury.

Hannah Carey

Hannah joined Parry Field in 2005, following two years general litigation experience with another Christchurch law firm. She is based in our City office, focusing on property law, family law, employment law and litigation.

Hannah presently works two days per week (Tuesdays and Thursdays).

Sybrand van Schalkwyk

Thinking of going overseas, or currently overseas and about to come back? Are you a property developer and you have heard of some changes to the tax rules, an accounting firm in need of specialist tax advice, a business owner thinking of restructuring or planning for the future, or you may have any other general tax issue.

Sybrand's previous experience with the IRD and a big four accounting practice gives him the right experience to help you with any tax issues you may have. He holds an Advanced Diploma in International Tax, is a Chartered Accountant and has a Masters degree in law with first class honours from Victoria University of Wellington. In addition, his experience as an honorary trustee of the New Zealand Science and Technology Charitable Trust (Science Alive!) puts him in an excellent position to help charities and other businesses with most regulatory and taxation issues. Sybrand is also an author for professional tax publishers CCH, and you can read postings by him on the CCH Tax blog website - www.talktax.co.nz.

Sybrand joined Parry Field in 2008 as a senior solicitor.

Paul Owens

Paul joined Parry Field in January 2009. He works from our Riccarton office focusing on commercial/business law and property transactions. Paul has recently arrived back to New Zealand following a year living and working in the United Kingdom. He has three years experience in commercial law and property transactions with another Christchurch law firm.

Joseph Morris

Joseph joined Parry Field in 2009 having graduated from Otago University with a double degree in Law and Classical History. He is based in our city office and focuses on commercial, property and family law. Joseph volunteered in his final year of study at the Dunedin Community Law Centre where he experienced a wide range of legal disciplines. Outside of work, he enjoys surfing and spearfishing along with most other water sports.

Andrea Neill

Andrea joined Parry Field in 2010, and works at the city office focusing on commercial and property law, and litigation. She studied Law, International Relations and German at Victoria University, while clerking with a boutique IT and telecommunications law firm in Wellington.

Aside from work, Andrea administers the Technology Law Society, and assists at the local Community Law Centre. In her spare time, you will most likely find her tramping or skiing in the mountains, or training for underwater hockey at a local pool.

Viv Zhang

Viv Zhang works out of our Riccarton Office, having attained a Legal Executive qualification from Christchurch Polytechnic, a law degree from China, and a Masters in Law from the University of Canterbury. Her areas of interest are Commercial, Property, Trust and Immigration Law.

Viv is fluent in Mandarin and has considerable experience in translating for Asian clients in legal matters. When her studies have permitted (which can’t have been often!), Viv’s interests include swimming and reading.

Vinesh Prakash

Vinesh joined Parry Field in 2008 and works at our Riccarton office assisting with property conveyancing matters.

Vinesh has come to New Zealand from Fiji with his wife and son. He built up fourteen years experience working in Fiji with a law firm based in Lautoka City as a junior conveyancing clerk and later as the senior conveyancing clerk.

Eddie Lewis

Eddie joined the Firm in 2002 in the role of Legal Administrator/Accountant - having responsibility for most of the Firm's non-legal activities.

After spending a number of years with ANZ Bank in its Wellington Corporate HQ as part of the Bank's Information Technology team and a further period managing medium and large Supermarkets, Eddie was then involved in his own Property Marketing, Mortgage Broking and Consulting Business for a further five years.