Michelle Hemara
Michelle is a valued member of the team and comes to us with a vast amount of legal experience.
After a stint in the UK she returned with her family to Hawke’s Bay and focused on building her Legal Executive career. When Michelle is not stepping clients through various legal matters, you’ll probably find her lighting up the dance floor, as she is also an experienced Salsa teacher.
Personal Assistant
Contact Michelle
Email: mhemara@willislegal.co.nz
Phone: (06) 878 6039
Rachael Luxton
Rachael has grown up in Hawke’s Bay, and returned in 2017 after 5 years in Wellington. Rachael began her career with Willis Legal at the end of 2017 and recently completed her Diploma in Legal Executive Studies in 2020. She specialises in residential conveyancing and estates.
Outside of work, Rachael is a board member of Volunteering Hawke’s Bay and enjoys volunteering in the community and experiencing all of what Hawke’s Bay has to offer together, with completing a never-ending home renovation.
Trista Halford
Having been born and bred in Hawke’s Bay, Trista spent a few years in Auckland where she completed a degree in Event Management with a minor in Marketing and English Studies.
Knowing there’s no place like home, Trista returned to Napier as soon as she could and whilst waiting to graduate, a temp job in a local law firm saw her find her passion for the legal profession. She decided to throw herself back into the world of assignments and exams to become a qualified legal executive, securing a job with Taradale Law whilst she studied and graduating with her diploma in 2016. Trista’s main fields of work are residential conveyancing and estates. She particularly enjoys helping clients into their first homes and making what can seem like a very overwhelming process for young purchasers as easy as on them as possible.
Holly Mooney
Having explored South America and Europe in her twenties, Holly returned to work in the accounting industry for over 7 years.
A keen foodie, Holly is often planning a menu for the next family get-together. She brings over 10 years of administrative experience with her from the trade, construction and accounting services industries, and is currently studying a Diploma in Legal Executive Studies. She enjoys meeting new clients and assisting them with their legal requirements.
Personal Assistant
Contact Holly
Email: hmooney@willislegal.co.nz
Phone: (06) 835-3229
Sallyanne Belmont
Sallyanne is a qualified Registered Legal Executive, and became a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Legal Executives in 2017. She is the Hawke’s Bay representative for the Wellington District Branch of the NZILE.
Prior to moving to Hawkes Bay, she worked at a couple of Auckland based Law Firms and more recently at a Hastings firm. She enjoys helping clients, especially first home buyers, and thrives on client’s satisfaction. Outside of work, Sallyanne enjoys spending time with her family and friends, going camping or relaxing with a book.
Personal Assistant
Emma Bayliss
Emma Bayliss is a Registered Legal Executive, who qualified as a Legal Executive in 2011 and has over 20 years of experience working in law firms across Hawke’s Bay and in London. She has lots of experience in estates and conveyancing, and in addition, is enjoying working with the Willis Legal Dispute Resolution Team.
Outside of the office, she loves traveling, spending time with whanau and friends, getting stuck into a good book, and making the most of the Hawke’s Bay sunshine!
Personal Assistant
Regan Cuthill-Coutts
Registered legal executive, Regan, has worked in the legal field in the Hawkes Bay for the last 6 years. She completed her Diploma in Legal Executive Studies in 2023 and specialises in residential conveyancing. She also works with our clients in the wills and estates area of law.
Outside the office, Regan enjoys reading and relaxing, along with travel and spending time with her partner and friends.
Personal Assistant
Lizzie Sayer
Lizzie has joined us as a legal assistant but will move from that position to being a full-time legal executive when she completes her Legal Executive studies in June this year. She has over 11 years’ of experience in local Hawke’s Bay law firms and has built sound knowledge in the area of wills, enduring powers of attorney, and trusts. Lizzie is also growing her expertise in conveyancing, with additional specific skills on subdivisions.
When she’s not in the office, Lizzie likes to play tennis at the Clive Tennis Club, and to explore the local bike and walking tracks with her husband and young son. They also enjoy all the local cafes and restaurants that the region has to offer, but her son thinks there’s nothing nicer than an ice cream at the beach.
