Simpson Western

28/09/2026

We’re thrilled to be joining as a Silver Sponsor and joint naming rights partner of the North Harbour Club & Charitable Trust Club BEN Breakfast series.

At Simpson Western, being part of our local community matters to us. We’re proud to support events that connect and inspire North Shore businesses, while also helping the North Harbour Club & Charitable Trust Club continue its fantastic work recognising outstanding young people through the AIMES Youth Excellence Awards.

We hope to see you at the next BEN breakfast on 3 November with speaker Mike King, details below.

Strong communities are built through strong partnerships.

We're thrilled to welcome Simpson Western as a North Harbour Club Silver Sponsor and supporter of our BEN (Business Excellence Network) Breakfast programme.

Their investment not only supports high-quality business events across our calendar, it also helps young people from the North Harbour region pursue excellence through the North Harbour Club Charitable Trust.

Thank you to the Simpson Western team for joining us on the journey.

Have you booked our next Breakfast yet? 3 November with Mike King
https://northharbourclub.co.nz/events/ben-breakfast-with-mike-king/

10/09/2026

We're delighted to celebrate the continued growth of two talented members of the Simpson Western team, Amber and James.

Amber first joined Simpson Western as a Summer Clerk in 2023 and returned as a part-time Law Clerk in 2025. Having grown up on the North Shore, Amber studied Law, Criminology and Sociology at the University of Auckland. Amber is currently completing her legal professionals programme and her honors dissertation focused on elder and succession law, and is set to join us full time at the end of 2026.

James recently returned to Simpson Western as a full time Law Clerk after completing our 2025/26 Summer Clerkship Programme. While completing the final semester of his law degree through the University of Otago, James supports our team across a range of commercial property matters. His enthusiasm for learning and passion for the law have made him a valuable addition to the firm.

We're proud to support the next generation of legal professionals and look forward to seeing Amber and James continue to thrive at Simpson Western.

24/07/2026

We are thrilled to welcome Esther Gan and Ben Forbes who have both joined our Litigation team as Associates.

With extensive litigation experience, Esther advises clients across a broad range of civil and commercial disputes, delivering practical, commercially focused solutions and strong advocacy.

Ben brings valuable experience from leading law firms in the UK and New Zealand, with expertise spanning commercial litigation, climate and environmental law, and complex dispute resolution.

We’re excited to have them on board and look forward to the expertise and energy they bring to our clients and our team.

Welcome to the Simpson Western family, Esther and Ben!

22/05/2026

We are pleased to welcome Nina MacDonald to the Simpson Western team!

Nina has joined our Family and Relationships team as a Law Clerk. She recently graduated from the University of Otago and after completing her professional legal studies ealier this year, is looking forward to being admitted later next month.

Originally from Christchurch, Nina is quickly settling into Auckland life and is looking forward to developing her legal skills in the family and relationships space.

Welcome to the team!

19/05/2026

Applications are now open for our 2026/2027 summer clerk programme!

Our summer clerk programme is an opportunity for law students to be part of our team and experience what it is really like to work at Simpson Western. Over your summer with us, you will have the opportunity to spend time working within a number of our service areas and be an important part of the team.

Our programme is open to law students in their penultimate year. To find out more or apply for a position, please visit: https://www.simpsonwestern.co.nz/careers/

Applications close on Friday 19 June.

29/04/2026

We’re excited to announce the promotion of four exceptional members of the Simpson Western team!

Ashleigh Watt and Ellen Snedden have been promoted to Principal.

Ashleigh joined us in 2019 and has built a diverse practice including private wealth, estate planning, elder law and asset protection advising on high value and complex private client matters. She now manages Simpson Western's estate administration practice and is an associate member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).

Ellen also joined in 2019 and is a leading expert in all family law matters, particularly those involving children, family violence and complex disputes arising under the PPPR Act regarding capacity and disputes between attorneys. Ellen has been on The Law Association Family Law Committee for many years, whereby she actively contributes to CPD planning, events and making positive change for the profession.

Louise Fryer and Sam Wood have been promoted to Senior Solicitor.

Louise joined us in 2025 and has over 13 years’ experience as a Legal Executive. She was admitted in July 2025 and support’s Simpson Western’s commercial property team on complex leasing and development work.

Sam began his career at Simpson Western as a graduate, working in the Litigation and Property teams. After undertaking further post-graduate study in Urban Planning and gaining experience at other firms, he recently returned to join our litigation team.

We are pleased to recognise their expertise, dedication and contribution to our firm and congratulate them of their well deserved achievements!