Kate has specialised in employment and health and safety throughout her career, and is passionate about providing commercially pragmatic, tailored solutions to client issues.
Kate acts for employers across a range of industries, giving strategic, compliance and best practice advice on non-contentious matters as well as providing representation in disputes. Kate’s background includes work with a large, top-tier national law firm, an award-winning national employment law boutique, and on secondment in-house in both the private and public sectors.
She regularly presents training and at conferences on employment and health and safety issues. In addition, she is an experienced independent investigator, and holds a certificate in workplace investigations from the Association of Workplace Investigators, as the only internationally recognised course of its nature.
Kate is a member of the Institute of Directors, is on the Bay of Plenty Branch Committee of the Human Resources Institute of New Zealand (HRNZ) and is a Trustee of Baywide Community Law Service which provides free legal advice for people on low incomes or with disabilities or other disadvantages.
Kate works between Tauranga and Auckland, and connects with clients throughout New Zealand.
Christie is a Partner at Copeland Ashcroft. She specialises in employment law, having practised as a lawyer for over 20 years.
Christie’s experience spans various employment law roles, including most recently as Partner of a large Bay of Plenty law firm, where she led their employment team. She also held employment law roles at pwc Sydney and at Buddle Findlay in Auckland.
A passionate, bold advocate for her clients, Christie is, at the same time, known for her sensible, plain English, commercial advice. Getting to the heart of an issue to find pragmatic, cost-effective solutions is what she does best.
Christie acts for both employers and employees. She has acted for many of the larger employers in the Bay of Plenty, including in health, transport, education, local body and Māori land trusts. She has also advocated on behalf of employees and has significant experience acting for senior executives and other employees, including those in regulated professions.
Her experience includes all aspects of employment law, including restructures, acquisitions, personal grievance claims, compliance, human rights and privacy issues. She is especially experienced and skilful at providing strategic advice on employment issues and those involving employee wellbeing.
Christie regularly attends mediations and has represented clients at tribunals and courts of all levels, including the Employment Relations Authority, Employment Court and Court of Appeal.
Having practised as in employment lawyer in Sydney for nearly six years, Christie has gained experience advising on global acquisitions, restructures and international assignments. She has also worked with other specialist advisors on associated commercial and tax issues, including relating to employee incentives and share schemes. Her experience has exposed her to all manner of clients from individual employees and small business to large corporates.
She is admitted to the bar in New Zealand and New South Wales, Australia, and is admitted to the High Court of Australia.
Christie sits on the Waikato, Bay of Plenty District Law Society Employment Law Subcommittee and is a member of the Human Resources Institute of New Zealand. She is also on the Board of Tautoko Mai, which provides sexual harm support services through Waikato and the Bay of Plenty.
Mizba migrated from the UK to New Zealand over 11 years ago with her young family.
Mizba has a background in advocacy and disability rights (whilst in the UK). Her work experience in New Zealand ranges from her role as a Labour Inspector, monitoring and enforcing employers’ compliance with minimum employment rights and as a Solicitor in a general practice law firm. Mizba has also volunteered at a community Law firm in Tauranga.
With an interest in workplace matters she will bring a unique perspective from her experience as a Labour Inspector.
Mizba was admitted to the New Zealand Bar in November 2020.
Mizba has settled in Tauranga. Outside of work Mizba enjoys spending time with her family and enjoys cooking traditional foods.
Mizba will be based in the Tauranga office.
Amy is based in the Tauranga office in the role of Practice Coordinator / Executive Assistant to Kate Ashcroft, Christie McGregor and Myriam Mitchell. She has extensive administration experience in law having worked in sectors such as restructuring, commercial and estate planning. The employment/health & safety law sector will be a great new challenge for her.
Christy is based in the Tauranga office as Projects Coordinator / Executive Assistant. She has extensive administration and HR experience having worked in sectors such as commercial real estate, insurance, kiwifruit, engineering and banking. Building upon her skills and learning more in the project management space to enhance business operations is of particular interest and a great challenge for her.
Outside of work she enjoys gardening, home improvements, spending time with family and friends and her two miniature schnauzers.