“We will add our own unique stitch to the rich tapestry of history sewn by our tūpuna in this rohe over many generations,” the two men stated in their formal proposal.
“With our ties to the area we are strongly driven to serve its people in a way that our skills and experience allows us to.”
Donnelly said bringing the warrant back to Gisborne was part of their reason for seeking it.
“It had been out [of Gisborne] for the better part of 20 years.”
Both he and Maynard previously worked in Gisborne at Rishworth Wall & Mathieson where partner Doug Rishworth “was big on the view that it should come back to Gisborne”.
Donnelly is of Ngāti Porou, Te Whānau-a-Rakairoa, Iritekura and Te Whānau-a-Pokai descent.
He was born and raised in Gisborne and attended Gisborne Boys’ High School.
He has worked as Crown prosecutor in Invercargill and became a senior Crown prosecutor and a partner at the Crown Office in Invercargill - Preston Russell.
Maynard is of Rongowhakaata (Ngāti Maru and Ngāi Tāwhiri), Ngāti Porou (Te Whānau-a-Ruataupare ki Tuparoa) and Te Aitanga-a-Mahaki (Ngāti Wahia ki Uta) descent.
He was educated at Te Aute College and Auckland University.
He has worked as a criminal defence lawyer in Gisborne for about 20 years interspersed with several years prosecuting for the Crown in Rotorua and in Napier as part of the Gisborne and Hawkes Bay Crown panel.
Maynard said it was well known that the return of the Gisborne warrant to Gisborne was envisaged when Collins was appointed Crown solicitor for Napier and Gisborne in 2005/06.
He and Donnelly wrote to Manning and fellow Elvidge partner Clayton Walker in 2022 about the warrant coming back to Gisborne “whether it was us or another local candidate”.
“To their great credit, Steve and Clayton were supportive of the idea and things rolled on from there.”
Rawhiti Legal, established to service the Crown warrant, includes David Walker, Ngati Porou (Te Whānau-a-Tuwhakairiora), a former long-serving policeman and police prosecutor and “HSOB Titans’ most capped hooker” and “the Boss Lady” Rosita Rapihana, an Anaura Bay local, Ngati Porou/Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti, and a former registrar and Gisborne court manager.
Maynard said a close relationship would continue with Manning and Walker and Rotorua Crown solicitor Amanda Gordon, who is from Gisborne.
“Steve, Clayton and their team at Elvidges are still finishing off a couple of matters in Gisborne, but for the most part our office will service all of the matters covered by the Gisborne warrant, as we have been doing since Riki formally began in the position.
“There will be occasions though when we will have conflicts of interest [family connections, previous clients etc], Steve and Clayton’s office will likely handle those for us. We do the same for them in Napier.”
Manning told the Gisborne Herald that Elvidge staff “have really enjoyed our time in Gissy, but are now just responsible for the Napier warrant”.
Adam Simperingham, who worked at Woodwards Iles alongside Denys Barry, who held the warrant before Collins, acknowledged that Gisborne lawyers had long believed the Crown warrant should be held back in Gisborne.
“But Steve and Clayton have done a really good job. I’m not aware of any problems.”
Crown solicitors are private legal practitioners appointed on the recommendation of the Attorney-General and by warrant of the Governor-General.
They are appointed for a particular district, usually in a High Court centre, and are responsible for the conduct of prosecutions in the High Court and District Court on behalf of the Crown.
