- Article class: well-versed
Our team is well-rounded, and can support you with legal services and advice.
Our Team
We Love What We Do.
We get an enormous amount of satisfaction from helping our community through tough spots. Knowing that our work helps people access justice, uphold the law, protect, advocate, resolve conflicts, and ensure compliance means a lot to us, because we really do care.
Our team is skilled in many areas of the law. We can support you with consultation, representation, legal documents, and compliance advice. Our team look forward to meeting with you.
Directors: Pauline-Jean Luyten and Emma Walton-Woodings
Solicitors: Melanie Fauth, Chris Visagie, Sheasby Saruwaka, Jireh Hong
Registered Legal Executive: Anna Boston
Practice Manager: Barbara Kelliher
Legal Executive: Catherine Wilson
Administration: Jenese van der Westhuizen, Harry Manson, Emily Londt, Philippa Solomon
Pauline - Jean Luyten
Director / Lawyer LLB, BSc, PGSportsMed, MInDS (Otago)
Born and raised in Timaru, Pauline studied law, science and sports medicine at the University of Otago. Initially a criminal litigator, Pauline has worked in private and public practice across Wellington, Waikato, Southland, and South Canterbury. Pauline enjoys working with clients towards a pragmatic solution helping them fully understand their options. Pauline can assist you with asset protection, employment, trusts, commercial property, elder law, retirement villages, wills, enduring power of attorneys, relationship property, court welfare guardian / property manager applications.
Pauline was formerly on the South Canterbury Rugby Board, Plunket Area Board and Emerging Director of NZ Rugby Board for 18 months. Pauline is currently a Trustee on the Mid South Canterbury Community Trust, Member of the Audit and Risk Committer for Ministry of Pacific Peoples, Peer Mentor for the NZR Women in Rugby Governance Programme, Co-Chair of the NZR Pasifika Advisory Group (Tausoa Fa'atasi) and is 1 of 25 Scholars for the World Rugby Capgemini Women in Rugby Leaders (2024-2025). Pauline is also a Treasurer of the Tongan Society South Canterbury.
Pauline lives in Timaru with her three children and husband Steve. A former ultra marathon runner Pauline completed her first marathon at Mt Everest Marathon aged 25 years, Kepler 66km, Wanganui 60km, and Oxfam 100km. Sports is in her blood, and Pauline has played rugby, basketball, volleyball and representative football.
Emma Walton-Woodings
Director / Lawyer BSc (Otago) LLM (UK)
Emma comes to us from Christchurch where she was working in earthquake insurance law. She has a keen interest in science and health which she developed through the BSc she completed at University of Otago in 2011. As an avid sports person, Emma followed her talent to the UK on a sport scholarship where she completed a Master of Laws and played netball in their Superleague competition.
Emma enjoys being able to work with her clients to reach their desired outcomes. For her, the connections that are built with families as they maneuver through each new step or adventure in their lives is the best part of her role. She enjoys working in the areas of Estates, Property, Trusts, Asset Protection and Commercial transaction.
You will often see Emma taking a run around the Bay on her lunch break. She is a member and Director of the board of The Rotary Club of Timaru and also on the board of trustees for Creative Corner Early Learning Centre Incorp.
Melanie Fauth
Lawyer
Melanie is an experienced lawyer able to assist with all your employment and insurance law along with your general legal matters. She graduated with an LLB from Canterbury University in 2001, being admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor in 2001.
She has lived in Timaru for over 20 years and most recently been employed in a variety of administrative and broker support roles alongside being a School Board member.
Anna Boston
Registered Legal Executive
Anna has been part of the Aoraki Legal team since 2014. Starting off in reception, Anna has completed her diploma in Legal Executive studies and is a Registered Legal Executive. Anna has worked her way up in the legal field becoming Pauline’s legal assistant and more recently, assisting the estates team in estate administration.
In her spare time Anna keeps busy on her lifestyle block with all her animals and enjoys the outdoors, water sports and fishing Lake Ohau with family and friends.
Chris Visagie
Lawyer
Lawyer LLB / BAppMg.
Chris joined the team in 2022 and was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in 2023. He works primarily in the areas of conveyancing, trusts, wills and enduring power of attorney.
Chris previously worked for the Ministry of Justice in Te Puna Aonui, and has previously also held roles in business recovery and management. Chris is bilingual and has an interest in data, equality, immigration and serving our older citizens as well as being LGBTQIA+ community friendly.
Chris is a current trustee of the Rotary Club of Timaru Charitable Trust.
Sheasby Saruwaka
Lawyer
Sheasby joined the team in January 2024 He completed his Bachelor of Law degree at University of Canterbury
Jireh Hong
Lawyer
Jireh joined the team in January 2024. He completed his Bachelor of Law degree at University of Canterbury in 2021 and was admitted to the bar in 2022.
Catherine Wilson
Legal Executive
Catherine began her career in the legal profession as a Law Clerk in 1990. She travelled to London in 1997 spending the next six years exploring some of Europe and working in secretarial/ administrative roles in the investment banking and insurance industries. On her return to New Zealand, she worked as a Legal Secretary for 16 years and is now happy to be part of the team at Aoraki Legal.
Catherine’s work mainly involves Conveyancing. Although Catherine is also experienced with Estates, Trusts and Wills. Assisting clients to achieve their goals provides her with a great deal of satisfaction.
Catherine has a passion for baking which her colleagues seem to appreciate. Catherine loves getting out and about in nature, enjoying running, tramping and cycling. She has participated in the Central South Island Charity Bike Ride, which raises funds for local South Canterbury charities, for the past 10 years. Catherine also enjoys spending time with family and friends.
Barbara Kelliher
Practice Manager
Barbara joined the Aoraki Legal team in 2019, initially as a legal executive and more recently as our practice manager, after working for over 11 years at a local law firm. Prior to that Barbara had experience working in real estate agency administration. Barbara has a natural affinity to technology and IT.
Jenese van der Westhuizen
Trust Account Administrator
Jenese and family relocated to Timaru from the North Island in early 2023. In addition to the trust account administrator role, Jenese administers our billing and debtor control systems. She can also be seen assisting in reception.
Harry Manson
Legal Administrator
Legal Administrator / Personal Assistant to Pauline-Jean Luyten
Drawing on his strong background as a real estate salesperson, Harry aims to provide our clients with top-class service.
Working closely with Pauline-Jean Luyten as her personal assistant and the wider team as a Legal Administrator, Harry provides a wide range of support throughout the firm from conveyancing administration to reception cover.
Emily Londt
Legal Administrator / AML Officer / Personal Assistant to Emma Walton-Woodings
Having completed her legal executive diploma, Emily joined the team in 2023. She works closely with Emma Walton-Woodings as her personal assistant alongside assisting the wider team as a Legal Administrator. Emily is one of our AML Officers.
Philippa Solomon
Reception / Legal Administrator / AML Officer
With a strong background in customer service, Philippa joined the team as our Receptionist / Legal Administrator in 2023. Philippa is also one of our AML Officers.