Law firm adds its 11th partner

Luke Stewart

Holland Beckett has named Luke Stewart as the latest addition to its team of partners.

Mr Stewart is the fourth addition in four years, bringing the number of partners to 11. Other recent partners include Lara Burkhardt (2011), Mark Beech (2013) and Peter Lewis, from this year's acquisition of McKechnie Quirke & Lewis.

Mr Stewart joined Holland Beckett in 2006 and specialises in company, commercial, property and employment law.

He worked for Langley Twigg in Napier, then spent two years in London before returning to the Bay of Plenty, where he had grown up. Mr Stewart is well-known in the Tauranga business community and is Tauranga Chamber of Commerce vice-chairman.

Senior partner Bill Holland said the decision to build new premises had been a major turning point for the firm.

"We recognised that to grow we had to attract top talent," he said. "To attract top talent we needed premises that were inviting for clients and user friendly for the staff. Moving to an open-plan environment aided supervision and delegation, which is the key to our growth."

Practice manager Sharline Fitzgerald said: "We are now attracting a very high calibre of applicants and, on occasion, we have created positions for the right people.

"Having the depth of expertise in specialist areas has been key to attracting new work."