Wellington regional law practice emerges from merger

Wellington regional law practice emerges from merger.

The marriage of law firms on either side of the Rimutaka Hill will see the creation of the first total one stop shop Wellington regional law practice.

One of Wairarapa’s oldest legal practices, WCM LEGAL, whose roots stem back to small beginnings in Greytown in 1886, is joining forces with boutique Wellington commercial and property specialists Wilson & Co – headed by Principal Michael Bale.

The merger of the two practices brings together over a century of legal expertise and goes live on April 1 st .

It is an exciting time for both firms, which will retain their identities in their Wellington and three Wairarapa office bases, said WCM LEGAL partner Keith McClure.

“The firm began in Wairarapa in the 1880s as lawyers from Wellington brought their legal skills over the hill. Bringing our two firms together is almost completing that circle.”

Wilson & Co has its origins in the 1930’s with the pre-war legal practice of Robieson, Olphert and Savage, headed by Wybrants (Barney) Olphert OBE, after whom HMNZS Olphert was named.

The new firm will operate in the Wairarapa as WCM LEGAL, a division of WCM LEGAL Limited, and in Wellington as Wilson & Co, a division of WCM LEGAL Limited. The new firm will offer an expanded service for clients; Michael, legal partner Kirsten Townsley, and Barry Wilson’s commercial expertise combining with WCM LEGAL’s full range of legal advice.

WCM LEGAL has offices in Carterton, Greytown and Featherston and takes pride in being down-to-earth and cost-efficient. It is the only Wairarapa legal service that offers a full range of advice from criminal and family law including legal aid work right through to civil litigation, employment and mediation and property estates and trusts.

With WCM LEGAL’s nine lawyers joining Wilson and Co’s four lawyers, the merger will create the largest legal services firm in the Wairarapa, said WCM LEGAL partner Mark Hinton.

The key message to clients of both firms is that the joint forces approach will add depth to the practices and a larger pool of resources, he says.

”It is bringing together collective talents; the most important message to existing clients is that their on-going legal needs will continue to be met. This is an expansion of both practices and adding young blood. Over all it should enable us to service our client needs on a wider and more efficient basis. Clients can have all their legal services met in Wairarapa or Wellington regardless of where they live or work. It is all a positive change.”

Wilson & Co’s Wakefield Street offices in Wellington is already the base for a number of high profile clients including New Zealand Bus, one of New Zealand’s largest public transport operators, and one of the country’s leading coffee roasting and café businesses, Mojo Coffee Cartel.

Michael’s transition to the merger was partly driven by a lifestyle change. He and his wife and three young children have relocated to Greytown. Joining forces with a strongly established historical local law firm was a natural progression for Wilson & Co, he said.

“We all had the same desire to create a Wellington regional law firm that could meet legal needs across the region. It is giving a greater geographical spread. It is about growth and opportunity for Wilson & Co, and about taking WCM LEGAL forward into the future.

About WCM LEGAL

The existing practice is the amalgamation of three firms. In 1981 Major Gooding & Wollerman in Carterton and Thompson Tate Cullinane & Cooke in Greytown merged their practices and also took over the practice of HW Banks in Featherston, to become Wollerman Cooke & McClure. It was renamed WCM LEGAL in December 2006.

The Greytown office is the oldest, and can trace its links back to W.G. Beard who set up in Greytown in 1874 and then sold the practice to Colonel RW Tate in 1886. In the firm’s early days Mr Tate acted for the Small Farms Association, the Greytown Trust Lands Trust and many early settler families whose descendants have used the firm as their lawyers since its beginning and continue to do so.

The Greytown office has been classed a Heritage building.

The Carterton office traces its roots back to the 1890s and the practice of Hart Tucker and Daniell, continuing as a branch office of a Masterton practice until 1955 when Ian Wollerman took up the position of resident partner; he retired in 1997.

In November 2006 the office moved into the totally refurbished former Wairarapa Electric Power Board building in Memorial Square.

http://www.wcmlegal.co.nz/

ENDS

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