Craig Griffin & Lord – Barristers & Solicitors

Chris has been practising law in Auckland since 1987, before then working in country practices in Te Awamutu and Kaitaia. He has been a partner with Craig Griffin and Lord for over 20 years.

Chris practises in the areas of conveyancing, commercial transactions, trusts and relationship property, in addition to overseeing the commercial litigation that is carried out by the firm.

Some interests include travel, tramping and mastering golf, his attempts being markedly unsuccessful to date, although he can boast of two holes in one. Chris is married with four adult children, with one being a qualified lawyer, and one other close to finishing her law degree.

David has been practising as a solicitor for more than 30 years, including the last 20 years as a partner of the firm.

David’s interests in the law include civil litigation conveyancing trust and estate work. He is also the trust account partner and responsible for the firms IT.

David’s other interests include rugby indoor cricket and Alfa Romeos. He is a trustee of numerous private trusts as well as having served on the board of trustees of his old grammar school and a past president of its Old Boys Association.

David is married with three children

Ross began work at end of 1952 as a law clerk in the offices of Adams Bros., the Crown Solicitors in Dunedin. At the beginning of 1955 he joined his uncle Charles Craig who had been practising in Newmarket since 1929.

At the present time Ross is a consultant in the firm and specialises in trust work, wills, deceased estates, general conveyancing and commercial matters. He has been a Rotarian for over forty years and has served as District Governor and continues to be heavily involved in Rotary matters.

He has recently completed an appointment on the Rotary International Election Review Committee. He is also involved in the administration of a number of Trusts providing funds for charitable purposes throughout New Zealand.

Noeleen is a legal executive who has had an association with the firm since 1972.

She commenced practise as a conveyancer after graduating with a BA in English and Political Studies and completed the first Legal Executives Certificate course in 1974. After a break at home with two daughters between 1977 and 1985 she returned to her former role which she has enlarged to include a keen interest in trust work.

Noeleen works out of our Silverdale office for three days of the week, a convenient location to her home with husband Brian on five acres in Dairy Flat, where orphaned sheep, a transgender chook and fattening piglets keep them busy!

Louise Waugh joined our firm as a Law Clerk in February 2005 and was admitted to the bar in July 2005. Louise qualified as a Legal Executive prior to obtaining her law degree.

Louise practises family law, civil litigation (including debt recovery and enforcement), conveyancing and estate work, and has a particular interest in health care law and matters under the Protection of Personal and Property Rights Act.

Louise is married with two school-age children.

Vanessa joined our firm as a Law Clerk in June 2008, and was admitted to the bar in September 2008.  Vanessa graduated from the University of Otago in 2008 with a double degree in Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts (Gender and Women’s Studies).

Vanessa currently specialises in civil litigation, including insolvency and debt recovery, as well as residential and commercial property, commercial transactions, trusts and company formations

Vanessa’s interests include drinking copious amounts of coffee and shopping, good food and music.  She can be seen doing all of the above most weekends.

Steve joined our firm as a Law Clerk in January 2009 and was admitted to the bar in February 2009 after graduating from the University of Auckland in 2008 with a conjoint degree in Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts (Sociology).

Steve’s current area of practice is commercial and civil litigation including debt recovery, with an interest in employment law and intellectual property law.

His background in Sociology focused on criminology, the study of crime and deviance, and social psychology, which included studies into social cognition, group processes, language and communication.

Steve is of Korean descent and is fluent in both written and oral Korean.

Elliot was admitted to the bar in July 2006 and joined us in May 2009. Returning home to Auckland after gaining 2 years experience in Commercial/Property law in a Napier firm and a six-month ‘sabbatical’ snowboarding in North America.

Elliot continues his work in Commercial/Property work within the firm and is branching out to include Civil Litigation work.

Outside of work Elliot enjoys pretty much all sports including Golf, Tennis, Rugby, Snowboarding, Running and plenty of water sports.

Elliot is a 2^nd generation employee of the firm, the son of current partner Chris Lord.