Nicola joined Nicholsons in 2001 and has been a partner of the firm since 2008. Nicola practices in all aspects of property law (commercial, farming and residential) and commercial law, advising clients on a wide range of transactions. Nicola’s areas of particular interest include business sales and acquisitions, trusts, succession planning and creative problem solving.

Area of expertise

Personal
Property
Rural
Trusts
Commercial

Kylie Pascoe became a Partner at Nicholsons in 2003 and has been with the firm since 1999. She heads the litigation team at Nicholsons and specialises in criminal law, civil litigation, employment law and estate matters. She has vast experience as a courtroom litigator and regularly appears in criminal jury trials in both the High Court and District Court jurisdictions. Kylie enjoys assisting clients to resolve all types of disputes in her chosen areas of law.

Area of expertise

Employment
Civil
Criminal Defence

Richie’s primary area of practice is residential conveyancing and commercial law. Also practicing in the area of Trusts and Estates together with preparing Enduring Powers of Attorney and Wills.

Richie welcomes you to contact him for your legal needs.

Area of expertise

Personal
Property
Rural
Trusts
Commercial

Rochelle was born and raised in New Plymouth and began her legal career here in 2000.

Rochelle joined the partnership at Nicholsons in 2019, after returning to New Plymouth from Auckland where she was a partner in a medium-sized firm. She provides advice on a range of commercial and business matters, property and leasing matters, financing arrangements, trusts, wills and asset/estate planning. She acts for a variety of clients from individuals and families through to small businesses and larger organisations.

Prior to her move to Auckland in 2009, Rochelle worked in London for four years in both private practice and in-house roles. Throughout her legal career, she has gained a wide range of experience which enables her to provide comprehensive yet practical legal advice.

Area of expertise

Personal
Property
Rural
Trusts
Commercial

Area of expertise

Rachel is a specialist in commercial, property and employment law. Rachel enjoys working with a wide variety of people and helping them to achieve the best results in a practical, no-nonsense manner.
The qualified lawyer grew up in rural Taranaki and comes from a large extended family. She’s an avid music lover and enjoys going to concerts, musicals and even the odd opera. She appreciates Taranaki’s unique lifestyle and enjoys spending time with family and friends, while also working on interior design projects around her home.

Area of expertise

Personal
Property
Rural
Trusts
Employment
Commercial

Samantha works within the litigation team, Samantha can assist with a range of matters including criminal, employment, and civil litigation. Samantha has ample experience in the District Court and is more than capable to represent you in your legal matters. She has legal aid approval for PAL 1 and PAL 2 criminal matters and assists as duty lawyer in the New Plymouth District Court.
Samantha was born and raised in Taranaki and after five years studying at Victoria University of Wellington, she was pleased to return to her hometown of New Plymouth. Outside of work, Samantha appreciates the outdoors, splitting her time between Taranaki’s many beaches or exploring one of the many walks and tramps around Mt Taranaki.

Area of expertise

Criminal Defence
Employment

Area of expertise

Relationship Property
Commercial

“Grace graduated from the University of Otago in 2021 before returning to her hometown of New Plymouth to begin her career. Grace assists Richie in our Commercial team and has experience with conveyancing, business transactions, estate planning and relationship property matters.

Outside of work, Grace has a passion for netball and is heavily involved in the Tukapa Netball Club. Grace also enjoys baking and spending time with her family and friends.”

Area of expertise

Commercial
Property
Personal
Trusts
Rural

Emily who is born and raised in Taranaki, was pleased to return home after completing her Law Degree in 2023 at the University of Waikato.

Emily works within the litigation team assisting Kylie Pascoe and Samantha Hunt. Emily has a passion for litigation matters and after being admitted to the Bar in 2024 has begun assisting with Criminal matters and appearing in the New Plymouth District Court.

Outside of work, Emily enjoys spending time with her large extended family and friends as well as keeping active at the gym and running.

Area of expertise

Criminal Defence

Melissa joined Nicholsons in 2009. She became a qualified legal executive in 2002 and is a Fellow of the NZ Institute of Legal Executives Inc. The Partners made Melissa an Associate of the firm in 2023.
She initially worked alongside now-retired partner Paul Fitzgibbons and now assists Nicola Patterson. Melissa is primarily involved in property, commercial and farming transactions including wills and enduring powers of attorney. She was one of the first in Taranaki to be involved in e-dealing and as a result gained valuable experience in this area. She enjoys completing subdivisions, whether it be a simple boundary adjustment or multiple lot developments.
Melissa is New Plymouth born and bred and loves Taranaki. Outside the office she is a keen walker (often with her dog, Ruby), a house plant hoarder, and loves tramping in the bush around Mount Taranaki in the warmer months. She also enjoys motorsport and watching most other sports.

Area of expertise

Personal
Property

Debbie joined the Nicholsons team in November 2015. She began her career in law in 1984 as a legal secretary. After having a family, she returned to work taking up a position as a legal executive. In 2002 she gained the New Zealand Legal Executives Certificate and has been a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Legal Executives (NZILE) since 2007.  In April 2023 Debbie was promoted to an Associate of the firm.

Debbie works alongside Richie Flitcroft and is experienced in a wide range of law including residential and commercial conveyancing, subdivisions, estate administration, enduring powers of attorney and wills.

Outside the office, she has a passion for golf and is a keen member of the Inglewood Golf Club. She also likes to keep fit and will often spend her lunchbreak striding out along the beautiful Coastal Walkway or through our stunning Pukekura Park.

Area of expertise

Personal
Property

Deborah’s law journey started after studying Legal Studies at high school. After securing her first job in a small suburban law firm in Takapuna on Auckland’s North Shore, she qualified as a Legal Executive three years later in 1992, as the top student in NZ.

Over the following years she gained broad experience in Property law and Private Client matters before heading to the USA/Europe and appreciated the experience of working in large law firms while based in London.

Deborah joined Nicholsons as the Estates Manager in 2022 and for numerous years has worked exclusively in Estates law.  She appreciates the day-to-day challenges and diverse issues which arise when dealing with family dynamics and relationships and she strives to provide the family with practical and straight forward advice and support throughout the estate administration process.

On weekends, Deborah enjoys European languages and cars, music, gardening, travel, and can often be found in local eateries enjoying live music or on the beach with her dog.

Area of expertise

Estate Administration

Holly started with Nicholsons as a legal secretary in June 2014. She studied while working and became a registered legal executive in 2018.

She works mainly in property law (conveyancing) and also does business and trust work.

Outside work Holly enjoys riding her horse, while she also has a need for speed and travels frequently with her partner to race their jet sprint boat.

Area of expertise

Personal
Property
Commercial
Trusts

After growing up in the UK, Joanna moved to Whangarei with her family in 2008 and then subsequently to Taranaki in 2013.

Joanna holds the NZLS Legal Executive Diploma as well as a Diploma in Conveyancing.

Joanna brings a wealth of experience to the team, including residential and commercial conveyancing, estate planning, trusts, business sale and purchases.

In her spare time Joanna loves to keep fit and spend quality time with friends and family.

Area of expertise

Personal
Property
Trusts
Commercial

Rebecca moved to New Plymouth in 2014 having previously worked for law firms in Auckland and London.

Rebecca has always had a keen interest in law and has worked in the legal industry for over 25 years. Her experience is primarily in property law completing residential and commercial conveyancing, complex subdivisions and leasing. She also has experience with wills and trusts.

Rebecca brings her many years of experience, logical thinking and down to earth character to her role as a qualified Registered Legal Executive.

Outside of work, Rebecca enjoys coaching and playing netball while supporting her family in all their sporting endeavors.

Area of expertise

Personal
Property
Trusts
Commercial

Richelle started her career in law at 18 as junior typist and while on leave to have her two children she completed her Legal Executive Diploma and became a Registered Legal Executive in 2015.

Richelle works alongside Rachel Evans and is experienced in a wide range of law including residential conveyancing, enduring powers of attorney and wills.

Outside of work Richelle enjoys spending quality time with family and friends.

Area of expertise

Property
Personal
Trusts
Commercial

“Julia has been a Registered Legal Executive since 2018, and she’s also gained the NZ Diploma of Conveyancing during her legal career.

She holds a wealth of legal experience including residential and commercial conveyancing, estate administration and planning, and preparation of wills and enduring powers of attorney. Julia’s primary focus at Nicholson’s lies in Trust Law which involves assisting with estate planning matters and ongoing family trust administration.

Originally from Taranaki, she continues to enjoy the community and lifestyle it has to offer. Outside of work she splits her time between a number of creative pursuits, maintaining an active lifestyle and spending time with her friends and family.”

Area of expertise

Trusts