Janet is the Managing Partner of Copeland Ashcroft. With over 25 years’ experience in employment and health and safety law, Janet also has extensive governance experience having been involved in governance roles across a range of sectors including national sporting codes, netball franchises, tertiary education and local government.
Janet has significant experience in the aged care, transport, tourism, education, construction, health, non-profit, agriculture, local government, trades and professional services areas.
For all of her career Janet has assisted employers in collective bargaining with unions and is very experienced in providing strategic industrial relations advice and representation. She has handled health and safety prosecutions and sentencing as well as supporting clients through WorkSafe investigations. Her regular appearances in the Employment Relations Authority and Employment Court mean she is well placed to advise on all employment law related matters.
Janet holds a certificate in workplace investigations from the Association of Workplace Investigators, and has significant experience in conducting and advising on investigations.
Naoimh is a Partner in Queenstown and is an experienced independent investigator and, a mediator accredited through the Resolution Institute. With a background in dispute resolution and mediation for over 13 years overseas and in New Zealand, she now specialises in employment law, health and safety, immigration and related work.
Naoimh partners with clients to provide strategic advice appropriate to the organisation or individual. Her work is commercially focused and clients favour her practical advice. She often travels to clients to understand their business. Her strength is identifying what a client needs to achieve and how to do it.
Her frequent practice involves mediation, investigations, negotiations. She advises on all aspects of employment law and immigration connected to work.
Naoimh is experienced in acting for a range of corporate organisations, and various government entities as well and individual and private clients. She has provided health and safety law advice on key construction projects within the Christchurch rebuild and complex conservation projects and migrant-worker-related employment issues. With a background in general litigation practice, Naoimh has a valuable awareness of the variety of issues which often feature in employment, immigration and health and safety work.
Jahna is an Associate in our Queenstown office. Jahna relocated to Queenstown in 2022 following three years based in Invercargill. She graduated from Otago University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Law and Bachelor of Arts, majoring in History, and was admitted to the bar in 2019.
Jahna enjoys supporting clients with all workplace matters, including employment, health and safety and immigration.
In her spare time, Jahna enjoys staying active and making the most of what Central Otago has to offer.
Sally is a Solicitor in our Queenstown office. She graduated from the University of Otago in 2022 with a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Psychology, and was admitted to the bar in 2024.
Sally enjoys supporting clients with all workplace matters, including employment and health and safety.
Outside of the office, Sally enjoys staying active, skiing and spending time with friends and family.