Te Awamutu & Otorohanga Offices

E: [email protected]
DDI: 07 872 0872
M: 027 511 0562

Legal Executive: Kate Russell
E: [email protected]

Simon Brdanovic

PARTNER

Simon joined Edmonds Judd in 1995 fresh from Waikato University, and has been a partner since 2001. While he was initially involved in the litigation field, Simon’s primary focus now is on residential, rural and commercial conveyancing, along with trust work, while retaining an interest in both the employment and relationship property fields. Simon is heavily involved in the local community and the profession of law.

Te Awamutu & Otorohanga Offices

E: [email protected]

DD: 07 872 0877
Mobile: 021 242 1601

Legal secretary: Kasandra Hart
E: [email protected]

Chris Grenfell

PARTNER

Chris has practiced since 2001. He was an associate at Kensington Swan in Wellington before joining the partnership at Edmonds Judd in 2010. He works in the area of civil litigation, employment and general advocacy. He has extensive court experience as well as considerable experience in various forms of alternative dispute resolution, including arbitration, mediation and assisted negotiation.

Making regular court appearances, Chris has an in-depth knowledge of civil procedure in the High and District Courts. He co-authored Brookers Civil Litigation Precedents, is an author and tutor of  Legal Professional Studies at the Open Polytechnic of New Zealand.

Te Awamutu Office

E: [email protected]
DDI: 07 872 6305
M: 027 493 0928

Mandy Rasmussen

PARTNER

Mandy was born in Whangarei and educated there before studying law at Auckland University.  After graduating, she worked in Auckland for almost three years before leaving to travel to the United Kingdom where she worked for almost a decade.

Mandy and her husband Steve returned to New Zealand in 1992. She started working at Edmonds Judd in 1997 and has been a partner since 2017. Mandy and Steve have two sons. Her interests include following her sons’ and husband’s sports (mainly soccer, rowing and motor-sport), gardening and reading.

Mandy’s specialisations are Property Law including Residential and Commercial Conveyancing, Business, Trusts and Estates.

Te Awamutu Office

E: [email protected]
DD: 07 872 0876
Mobile: 021 308 447

Rachael Beattie

PARTNER

Rachael was born in the Waikato, and completed her secondary schooling at Te Awamutu College before undertaking her law degree at Waikato University. Rachael joined the firm in 2001 and progressed within the firm from a Legal Secretary to Solicitor.

Rachael’s primary focus in on property law and private client matters, including residential and commercial property transactions, along with Trusts and asset planning. Rachael also has a particular interest in Retirement Villages and Unit Title transactions.

Outside of the office Rachael and her husband Sam are kept busy with their young son.

Te Awamutu Office

E: [email protected]
DD: 07 872 6307
M: 0274 639 362

Lucy Sim

PARTNER

Lucy completed her Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology and History) at the University of Waikato and joined Edmonds Judd in December 2013, after making the move to Te Awamutu from Thames. Lucy works in general practice specialising in Commercial property, Trusts and Private client matters.

Outside of the office, Lucy enjoys spending time with family and friends and sailing around the Coromandel.

Te Awamutu Office

E: [email protected]
DD: 07 872 6315

Legal secretary: Kasandra Hart
E: [email protected]

Nicolette Brodnax

Associate

Nicolette graduated from the University of Auckland in 1990 with degrees in Arts and Law and moved to the Waikato with her husband shortly after. She has accumulated nearly twenty years of legal experience in the litigation field particularly in civil disputes, debt recovery and employment law and has most recently practiced on her own account as a Criminal Barrister with a particular interest in Appeals work.  She returned to University, earning a Masters degree with first class honours in litigation and arbitration in 2015.

Nicolette is also a nationally exhibited potter who has had a number of committee positions on local arts charities and is an active volunteer with Conservation organisations, with a special interest in kiwi recovery. In her spare time she is happiest tramping or mountain-biking with her husband and teenage son.

Te Awamutu Office

E: [email protected]
DD: 07 872 6308

Legal secretary: Kasandra Hart
E: [email protected]

Jane Rushton

SENIOR SOLICITOR

Jane was born to a Waikato farming family and began school at Paterangi.  She graduated with a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts (English) from the University of Auckland and was admitted to the bar in New Zealand in 1989 and in Australia in 1992.  She has an extensive background in all aspects of litigation gained through more than 18 years of legal practice including prosecution experience, as well as over 8 years of instructing law graduates in practical litigation skills.

With Edmonds Judd, Jane now specialises in personalised advocacy. She works with clients to resolve disputes in a way that best suits them and their unique set of circumstances.

Jane and her husband Adam have three young adult children based in Hamilton, Raglan and Auckland. Jane still has strong ties to Raglan where she lived for several years and is a trustee of Word Café Raglan.  Jane particularly enjoys the performing arts, sailing and tramping.

Otorohanga Office

E: [email protected]
H: 07 873 1604
M: 027 233 6412

Michelle Anselmi

SENIOR SOLICITOR

Michelle has a number of years’ experience working for one of Scotland’s leading law firms. Michelle moved to New Zealand some years ago and has joined the team at Edmonds Judd.

Te Awamutu Office

E: [email protected]
DD: 07 872 6313

Fiona Jack

SOLICITOR

Fiona Jack joined the EJ team in October 2019. Fiona returns to law after taking time out to home school her children and working on their dairy farm. She previously worked for Brent Kelly Law Office and Harkness Henry, Hamilton. Fiona has a primarily property and personal legal services focus to her practice and is currently working alongside EJ’s newest partner, Lucy Sim

Te Awamutu Office

E: [email protected]
DD: 07 872 6310

Legal secretary: Kasandra Hart
E: [email protected]

Rebecca Buttar

SOLICITOR

Rebecca joined Edmonds Judd in December 2017 as a Law Clerk within the litigation team, focusing on relationship property and employment matters. Rebecca (formerly Brown) grew up in Horowhenua and shifted to the Waikato to complete her Bachelor of Laws at the University of Waikato. Rebecca was admitted to the bar in 2018.

Outside of work, Rebecca and her husband are involved in the Young Adults community at the Gateway Church in Hamilton. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, especially over a good board game.

Te Awamutu Office

E: [email protected]
DD: 07 872 6324

Legal secretary: Kasandra Hart
E: [email protected]

Ronja Holz

SOLICITOR

Ronja sudied at the University of Waikato and worked with a Hamilton law firm specialising in Family Law before joining Edmonds Judd in June 2019.  Ronja is a solicitor working in the Litigation team focusing on Relationship Property and Employment matters.

Ronja was born in Germany and moved to Te Awamutu with her family in 2003.  Outside of the office, Ronja is kept busy with her two young children and enjoys exploring New Zealand.

Te Awamutu Office

E: [email protected]
DD: 07 872 6323

Bailey Robertson

SOLICITOR

Bailey joined Edmonds Judd in June 2019 after completing his Bachelor of Laws with Honours degree at the University of Waikato in December 2018. He was admitted as a Solicitor in July 2019. He brings a wealth of knowledge from the property sector, as he worked as a Property Manager and Legal Adviser within the Property Management industry for 6 years, while studying for his law degree. Bailey works on the Property and Commercial team under the direction of Mandy Rasmussen.

Bailey grew up in Hamilton but has family connections throughout the wider Waikato region. In Bailey’s spare time he enjoys going to the gym, socialising with his family, and taking weekend road trips around the country with his partner.

Te Awamutu Office

E: [email protected]
DD: 07 872 0873

Emma Gedye

LAW CLERK

Emma has in the past managed the Firm’s Trusts, Estates and most recently been in a support role in Mandy Rasmussen’s team.

Emma has now moved into a Law Clerk role in Simon Brdanovic’s team while she completes her law degree.

Otorohanga Office

E: [email protected]
DD: 07 873 7178

John Millar

CONSULTANT

John joined the Edmonds Judd family following the acquisition of his long-standing practice in Otorohanga.

John has a wealth of experience in a wide variety of areas of law, from property litigation and everything else in between.

John is well known in the Otorohanga area and has dedicated many hours to community groups.

Te Awamutu Office

E: [email protected]
DD: 07 872 6316

Legal Secretary: Karen Baker
E: [email protected]

Keith Hetherington

CONSULTANT

Keith, and his partner Jane, moved to Te Awamutu from Auckland late last year for a planned lifestyle change. In Auckland Keith was in practice, initially with Wynyard Wood for 25 years and as a partner for 22 years and then as a consultant with other firms. Keith brings with him a wide range of legal experience in the areas of property, contracts, company, commercial law and trusts.

Until recently Keith was a Trustee for fifteen years of three sub trusts under the charitable trust Project K (now known as Future Youth Development Trust). A trust that was originally established by Graeme Dingle to assist in youth development throughout New Zealand

In his spare time Keith loves to fish, both in our oceans and back country rivers. He is also a keen gardener and loves entertaining family and friends and preparing delicious meals using fresh produce from his garden and food gathered in the wild.