Succeed Legal is a fresh, modern, Wellington-based law firm providing legal services to privately owned businesses, trustees, not-for-profit and charitable organisations, and private individuals. The firm's advice spans four main areas: business law, support for individuals and families, trusts and trustees, and community organisations.
The firm is led by Principals Beth McCall, Lloyd Davies, Mell Clarke-Cornor and Matt Hay, supported by Consultants David Chapman and Alasdair McBeth, Associates Eddie Jackson and Amelia Wheeler, and Lawyers Lucy Lowe and Gabriella Burns. The team also includes Senior Legal Executives Nicky Smith and Tessa Amey, Legal Executives Leonté Toscano, Maria Chow and Roslyn Murphy, Legal Administrator Olivia Whorskey, Practice Manager Vicki Eastham, Client Engagement Manager Leo Lamoury, Office Administrator Kahu McCaskill and Personal Assistant Lusahn Wyatt.
Succeed Legal has roots going back to Chapman Tong Law, a boutique legal practice established by David Chapman and Jeff Tong that provided legal services to private and small business clients before merging with Succeed Legal in 2020. Lloyd Davies brings over 20 years' experience across property, environmental, commercial and regulatory law, having worked in large commercial firms and as in-house counsel, while Mell Clarke-Cornor brings over 15 years' experience in residential and commercial property, trusts and estate and succession planning.
Succeed Legal describes itself as a fresh, modern, Wellington-based law firm, providing legal services to privately owned businesses, trustees, not-for-profit and charitable organisations, and private individuals. The firm structures its advice around four key areas of everyday legal need.
For business clients, Succeed Legal covers the full lifecycle of a company, from initial structuring advice and the formation of companies, limited partnerships and other business structures, through to constitutions and shareholders' agreements, buy/sell agreements, and the buying and selling of businesses. The firm also advises on governance and compliance, business banking and financing, buying, selling and leasing commercial premises, contracts for sale and supply, and business restructuring, amalgamations and wind-ups, alongside ongoing company and limited partnership administration.
For individuals and families, the firm's work spans estate planning and succession advice, wills, enduring powers of attorney, estate administration, and estate-related disputes and claims. It also covers residential conveyancing, retirement village purchases and sales, home loan refinancing, and relationship property advice for those entering or ending relationships — the kind of legal support that comes up at major turning points in a person's life.
Succeed Legal has particular depth in trust work, handling the formation of family trusts, inheritance trusts and education trusts, along with trust variations, restructures and resettlements. The firm also advises on trust administration, foreign trusts, and the powers, duties and responsibilities of trustees, as well as the rights and entitlements of beneficiaries, and can assist with trust-related disputes and claims.
For charitable and not-for-profit organisations, the firm advises on the formation of charitable trusts, incorporated societies and other not-for-profit entities, along with governance, management and administration. This includes compliance with the Charities Act 2005 and related legislation, changes to trust deeds and other constitutional documents, and reorganisation or restructuring of charitable entities.
Succeed Legal's Principals include Beth McCall, who specialises in property and private client matters including residential and commercial property transactions, leasing, subdivisions, relationship property, trusts, and estate and succession planning; Lloyd Davies, who brings over 20 years' experience across property, environmental, commercial and regulatory law, having worked in large commercial firms and as in-house counsel; Mell Clarke-Cornor, with over 15 years' experience in property, trusts and succession planning; and Matt Hay, a former partner of a leading national law firm who advises businesses on structuring, governance, acquisitions and disposals.
Consultants David Chapman and Alasdair McBeth add further depth — David was a partner in a leading national law firm for over 20 years before establishing Chapman Tong Law with Jeff Tong, a boutique practice that merged with Succeed Legal in 2020, while Alasdair is a trust law expert focused on private client, trust and succession planning work.
The wider team includes Associates Eddie Jackson and Amelia Wheeler, Lawyers Lucy Lowe and Gabriella Burns, Senior Legal Executives Nicky Smith and Tessa Amey, Legal Executives Leonté Toscano, Maria Chow and Roslyn Murphy, and a support team led by Practice Manager Vicki Eastham, alongside Client Engagement Manager Leo Lamoury, Office Administrator Kahu McCaskill, Personal Assistant Lusahn Wyatt and Legal Administrator Olivia Whorskey.
Succeed Legal invites businesses, individuals, trustees and community organisations to get in touch to discuss how the firm can help, whether that's structuring a business, planning an estate, setting up a trust, or supporting a charitable organisation.