About Us
Catherine Evans - Director
Catherine has a Bacherlor of Laws from Auckland University in New Zealand. In 2001 she was admitted to the High Court of New Zealand and in 2005 she was admitted to the High Court of the Cook Islands. She has undertaken the Advanced Litigation Skills Programme in New Zealand. She appeared in the Family Court, Employment Tribunal, Maori Land Court, District Court and High Court in New Zealand. In Rarotonga she appears in the High Court and Court of Appeal. Catherine's experence is as in-house legal advisor to what is now Oranga Tamariki in New Zeaand, and was an Associate in private practice there. In the Cook Islands Catherine worked for the Crown Law Office as Crown Counsel and more recently as the Deputy Solicitor-General.
Our Practice
Mediation
Domestic Violence
Family Law
Mediation can be the most cost effective way of getting an outcome that you want. Catherine is a trained mediator with a Certificate of Mediation Practice from the Cook Islands Law Society and Massey University in association with the New Zealand Law Society. Catherine has attended many mediation conferences with clients during her practice in New Zealand and is excited about the way in which people in the Cook Islands are taking up mediation as a real alternative to the Court deciding a case. Catherine is Chair of Te Tauranga 'Aka 'Au (a place to promote peace) Mediation Centre Incorporated which was established in May 2019 and officially launched on 28 February 2020.
Family Law
Domestic Violence
Family Law
Catherine specialised in Family Law in New Zealand helping clients to resolve their separation and divorce issues, such as who will have the children and when and how the relationship property will be divided between them. Catherine's most memorable case included winning a family home in favour of a client following a hearing which determined that despite there being children of the relationship, it was not a defacto relationship to qualify for equal division of property.
Domestic Violence
Domestic Violence
Domestic Violence
Catherine has a depth of experience helping people who have suffered violence at the hands of people they should be safest with including children who have suffered sexual, physical and emotional abuse. Catherine has successfully applied for urgent protection orders under domestic violence laws in New Zealand and the Cook Islands.
Catherine is patron of Punanga Tauturu Incorporated, the Women's Counselling Service which has its focus on survivors of domestic violence.
Our Practice
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Employment
Catherine will check your employment contract for a reasonable fee, draft employment contracts and give advice if you have a personal grievance and represent you to resolve your employment issue. Foreign workers employment problems is a particular interest. Mediation of employment problems is also a focus of Catherine's work in this area.
Civil Claims
If someone owes you money, or has caused you or your property loss or damage, or has breached your rights you may have a claim against them, Catherine can give you advice on what your claim might be, how much money in damages or compensation you might be awarded and represent you in negotiations, mediation or in Court in an attempt to resolve the claim or get a Court order for you.
Our practice
Land
Wills & Estates
Wills & Estates
Let us help you navigate the Cook Islands land laws, Catherine can assist you with Succession orders, Occupation right orders, Leases and Vesting orders. Catherine will also help you through a valid claim for a rehearing of historical land Court decisions.
Wills & Estates
Wills & Estates
Wills & Estates
It's very important to think about what your family might have to do when you pass away, you can help them by having a Will which tells them what you want done for your funeral but also what you want done with your property. In the Cook Islands land is not property you can include in your Will unless you have a lease over land. Let Catherine help you understand what you can and can't do with a Will, and draft your Will for a reasonable fee. Catherine will also help you apply for probate. A probate order is made by the Court so that the property of a person who has passed away can be distributed according to their wishes. Contact us to see how we can help you.
Company law
Wills & Estates
Company law
You can now set up a company online through the Ministry of Justice website. If you have problems with that Catherine can assist. Catherine also advises and attends to the sale and purchase of companies.
We will assist with disputes between companies over contract matters.
Building disputes
Do you have a builder who is constantly demanding more money but not doing the work they said they would do, or doing the work but not to a standard you would reasonably expect? There are some excellent builders in the Cook Islands but there are also some who should never be let loose with a hammer. The Cook Islands does not have a system for monitoring a builders work, despite the building laws, regulations and code. Catherine will help you with a building contract before you hand over any money, and help you monitor the progress, this will be much less expensive than trying to fix problems that develop because of the wrong choice of builder, or a misunderstanding between you and the builder.