Jo-Anne Kent-Johnston is an Associate in our Auckland office and is also our New Client Officer, responsible for managing all new enquiries. She has an LLB from Auckland University and was admitted to the bar in 2015. Jo-Anne joined Shine in 2014, as a Law Clerk, while in the last year of her study at Auckland University. Jo-Anne previously worked for Air New Zealand for 22 years as a flight attendant. She has appeared in the District Court and High Court of New Zealand. Her specialties are insurance law and estate law.
Jo-Anne is skilled at insurance settlement mediation and litigation, particularly life, trauma, and income protection insurance and also medical insurance policies.
She has a high success rate of overturning declined insurance claims or voided or cancelled policies, especially those related to non-disclosure and clients’ rights under the Insurance Law Reform Act. She truly empathises and gives her clients a fair and honest claim evaluation, so they know where they stand. Jo-Anne can also advise clients before they make a claim, helping them navigate complicated criteria so their claim has the best chance of acceptance.
Jo-Anne also specialises in Estate Law, helping clients secure their entitlements under a will and pursuing claims under the Family Protection Act and Law Reform (Testamentary Promises) Act.
Death is always difficult and family dynamics can be complicated. During this time, Jo-Anne provides compassionate, clear, and calm advice. She is skilled at conflict resolution with other counsel, beneficiaries, executors, and trustees, whether in mediation or in judicial settlement conferences at the Family or High Courts. She can also advise clients who anticipate estate issues before death, due to complex relationships.
“I appreciate that I’m meeting my clients at their very worst time – their true time of need. They may be sick, their insurer won’t pay, and to top it off they have to engage a lawyer. That’s why it’s such a good feeling to get a positive result for them and why I will always go the extra mile to achieve the best outcome possible.”
Contact directly on
Phone: +64 9 320 4089
E-Mail: [email protected]
