Greta O'Connor

When it comes to providing legal support, Greta has a general philosophy — she wants her clients to leave her office in a better situation than when they walked in. Being able to take a little weight off their shoulders, alleviate their stress levels and give them the reassurance they need to leave their issues in her hands is what it’s all about. In her early career, Greta was a litigation lawyer and dealt primarily with family and estate conflicts. While she often delves into Crown prosecution work and employment law, she spends most of her work day representing the PRLaw Family Law and Estates team. However, if the works there, she’s on to it.

Greta understands that many people avoid approaching a lawyer because they either hope the problem will go away or are too worried that it will get bigger. She explains it like this to her clients — it’s a little bit like the dentist. If you’ve got a nasty toothache but you’re too nervous to make a visit, it’s only going to get worse. She firmly believes that it’s far better to talk to someone and get advice than put your head in the sand. After all, the toll it takes is going to be far greater if you let it fester.

Resolving issues with minimal damage to her clients emotionally, physically and financially is the goal. Greta loves everything about families, which is what makes her so good at what she does. She gets that they are an interesting and complex dynamic, so sitting down with her clients, getting to know them and their needs, and talking them through the process step by step is the first move towards fixing the issue.

Experience

Born and raised on a sheep farm in rural Southland, Greta studied and completed her law degree at the University of Otago before moving to Timaru to practice law. It was there she gained extensive experience in multiple fields of law, and where she discovered her affection for family law.

A very community-oriented person, before re-settling in Southland, she was a member of the South Canterbury Rugby Board and coached gymnastics four days a week. The rest of her time is spent with her young family who keep her and her husband pretty busy.

Expertise

• Family Law
• Employment Law
• Litigation
• Estates