“I believe that the best way to determine my client’s legal needs, is to get a grass roots understanding of how they operate their business. To that end I always take the opportunity to view their farms if at all possible and certainly don’t mind putting my gumboots on and opening the gates where needed.”
Dave lives in Clyde and services his extensive rural client base in Otago and Southland from our offices in Alexandra and Gore.
Dave’s approach is very much a “hands on” one, and ever since he started in practice has made a philosophy of being heavily involved in his client’s businesses. To that end he regularly visits clients on their farm and takes great pleasure in getting a firsthand knowledge of those operations during those farm visits.
“I believe that the best way to determine my client’s legal needs, is to get a grass roots understanding of how they operate their business. To that end I always take the opportunity to view their farms if at all possible and certainly don’t mind putting my gumboots on and opening the gates where needed.”
“I also feel that my clients are most comfortable in their home environments, around their kitchen table, and I believe this is the best place to really find out what a families thinking and philosophy is.”
While Dave has a large clientele engaged in the dairy industry, he has also retained a strong following of sheep and beef and deer farming clients. While the bulk of these are situated South of the Waitaki River, he has clients based throughout New Zealand. Dave takes great pride in his ability to keep up to date with the needs of people in different parts of the country and to provide them with a full service, even at distance. While technology certainly makes communication easier, Dave’s willingness to get in his vehicle and arrive promptly when required, is still a significant key to his extremely successful practice.
As with everyone at AWS Legal, Dave is supported by a very experienced and skilled team of solicitors and legal executives who understand his philosophy of full commitment to his clients and ensure that work flows are seamless and timeframes met, even when he is absent in the field.
As is often the case after over 30 years in practice, Dave has become more than just a solicitor for his clients, and in many instances is a trusted and valuable friend and member of the families advisory team. As a consequence this has enabled him to have the respect of various generations within a single family and this is certainly of benefit when we confront the always present issue of succession.
Dave resides in Clyde with his wife Cherelle who is a local primary school teacher, and pursues a vigorous and active outdoor life in the Central Otago High Country when not busy supporting his clients.