Donna Cherry, BN, LLB, AAMINZ

Director/Barrister & Solicitor

Mobile: 027 599 7996       Email: [email protected]
Languages: Proficient in English, also speaks Malay,Tamil and Malayalam
Donna Cherry’s areas of expertise : Earthquake and Insurance Law, Elder Law, Property Law and Conveyancing, Traffic Law and Limited Licence applications, Commercial and Business Law


Donna Cherry has a very interesting background in that she has not always just been a lawyer. Having studied and worked in the UK and New Zealand as an operating theatre sister and Clinical Teacher operating theatres, as well as managing a travel agency as well as property portfolios, Donna Cherry came to the law with real life experience.

Donna Cherry was a founding partner of another Christchurch law firm which grew to 5 partners and 28 staff. Before founding Waimak Law in 2016, Donna Cherry worked for several years for the Christchurch based Residential Advisory Service, helping the community deal with Insurers and EQC , following the Christchurch and Canterbury earthquakes. That experience has provided an invaluable insight and understanding of Insurance Law and Earthquake Insurance problems.

As well as her areas of expertise, listed above, Donna Cherry is the practice manager for Waimak Law. She looks after the day to day operations and staff welfare.

Donna Cherry is well recognised for her service to the community and for some years now actively involved both as a volunteer solicitor as well as with the Board of Community Law Centre that offers free legal advice and access to justice to our most vulnerable and poor. Together with John Shingleton from Onlinelawyers.nz and the rest of the Waimak Law team, Donna Cherry believes Waimak Law will disrupt the Canterbury legal services industry with its relentless forward thinking.

Interests: Donna supports causes preventing the cruelty to animals. In her spare time, Donna attends her Church and spends time with her grandchildren. She has very little time for hobbies but enjoys reading legal material in her spare time.

John Shingleton
Licence Droit, Masters France.

Director/Barrister & Solicitor

Mobile: 022 658 0434       Email: [email protected]
Languages:(Bilingual) Plain English and French.
Areas of expertise : Employment Law, Business and Commercial Law.

John Shingleton is also of an interesting background. Born in England to an English father and French mother, John Shingleton was raised in France and obtained a Masters in Law. Instead of going into the law, he joined the Police in London. While there he met a Kiwi, and was given an ultimatum. Fast forward after immigrating to New Zealand and serving a few years in the New Zealand Police the early 90s, John Shingleton was admitted in 1997.

In 2016, John Shingleton quit his role of managing partner of a Christchurch Law firm, and founded Onlinelawyers. The aim of Onlinelawyers.nz is to offer the New Zealand market a more 21st century relevant delivery of legal services. Onlinelawyers.nz has disrupted the legal market and there are signs more law firms are also going online and offering more value based legal pricing, such as fixed prices. As well as practising in his areas of legal expertise, John Shingleton is charged with the development and growth of Waimak Law, Onlinelawyers.nz and the team. Onlinelawyers.nz will be the platform of growth within the rest of New Zealand for Waimak law.

John Shingleton is well recognised as a legal and strategic thought leader having written several articles and blogs on topics varying from legal to business oriented. John Shingleton is a regular contributor to Canterbury Today. John Shingleton has also organised strategic retreats for company boards, assisting with governance. John Shingleton currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Fit for Work (2016) Limited .

Together with Donna Cherry, and the rest of the Waimak Law team, John Shingleton believes Waimak Law will disrupt the Canterbury legal services industry with its relentless forward thinking.

Christopher Jury, LLB

Senior Solicitor/Barrister & Solicitor

Mobile: 022 414 9701      Email: [email protected]
Languages: Mandarin Chinese (limited conversational proficiency)

Christopher Jury graduated from the University of Canterbury in 2012. Since then, he has worked for a ‘not for profit’ providing legal services to people with barriers accessing justice, a government department regulating employment relation standards and private law firms.

His experience covers a range of general practice including: litigation, employment law,education law, immigration law, family law and immigration/refugee law. Christopher Jury’ particular areas of expertise in his current role include employment law and immigration law.Christopher Jury is also a key member of the Onlinelawyers.nz team.As a millennial with a personal interest in emerging technologies, he is Waimak Law and onlinelawyers.nz Research and Development go to person. As an Employment and Immigration Law expert, he offers his specialist services throughout New Zealand and Overseas.

Interests:Christopher Jury is studying towards a Graduate Diploma in Chinese language and donates his time to the Community Law Centre, a not-for-profit that provides legal advice to vulnerable people in the Community. He also enjoys travelling and tries to get away from the office as much as possible.

Mikaela Taggart, LLB

Senior Solicitor/Barrister & Solicitor

Mobile: 022 043 2151       Email: [email protected]

Mikaela Taggart graduated from Canterbury University with a Bachelor of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in 2003. Mikaela Taggart has worked in private practice and at a not-for-profit since then specialising in Property and Commercial Law. Mikaela Taggart also has experience in the District and Family Courts.

Since the Canterbury Earthquakes Mikaela Taggart has specialised in Earthquake Insurance Law. Mikaela Taggart currently works for both Waimak Law and the Community Law Centre where she continues to act for property owners in the settlement of their insurance claims.

Interests:Outside work, Mikaela Taggart enjoys family time with her two girls, catching up with good friends, keeping fit at the gym and nature walks. She also has an interest in renovation and building work.

Nicole Gibson LLB, BA

Solicitor/Barrister & Solicitor

Mobile: 027 464 6058       Email: [email protected]

Nicole graduated from Canterbury University in 2015 with a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) and Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) majoring in History.

In 2014 Nicole began interning with Strategy Law & Mediation Ltd and continued her employment there after being admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor in October 2015. Nicole has gained valuable experience in debt collection, Trusts, Estate planning and conveyancing, and in particular enjoys ensuring first home buyers have a clear understanding and stress free experience. After interning and working as a solicitor with another law firm, Nicole Gibson joined Waimak Law to focus on growing a Christchurch based Property Law practice. Nicole Gibson enjoys working with first home buyers and no property purchase is too much of a challenge. Nicole Gibson is also a key member of the Onlinelawyers team and as a Millennial, she finds delivering her services online to home buyers and sellers in Wellington, Hamilton or Auckland, to name a few, very relevant to her generation.

Interests: Nicole enjoys travelling, cooking, reading, exploring Christchurch walking tracks and experiencing new cafes with friends.

Angela Wu

Law Clerk

Angela Wu is Waimak Law’s law clerk . She is very meticulous and enjoys property and commercial transactional work. Angela Wu assists the rest of the Waimak Law and Onlinelawyers team, working on various research projects or document drafting.

Sharon Scott

Associate/Registered Legal Executive

Mobile: 022 984 8135       Email: [email protected]

Sharon Scott is a recognised conveyancing expert. With more than 25 years’ experience as a Registered Legal Executive – Fellow, in Christchurch and Canterbury, there are few conveyancing situations Sharon Scott has not dealt with. Sharon Scott works from home in Hallswell , meeting local clients in their homes, businesses or somewhere halfway or Online using ZOOM software. As a key member of Onlinelawyers.nz , Sharon Scott has a growing portfolio of North Island clients.