Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger’s family suing law firm over father’s $1m gifts
Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger and his siblings are suing a law firm over advice given to their late father regarding $1 million in gifts to employees. The case centers on whether the father had the mental capacity to authorize the transfers at the time.
Why it matters
The case highlights legal complexities surrounding elder law, mental capacity, and professional liability in estate planning.
Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger and his siblings are suing a law firm that advised their late father before he gave more than $1 million to two employees.
The High Court at Christchurch has now ordered Saunders & Co to provide a more detailed list of documents it says are privileged, after a doctor drawn into the case challenged the firm’s disclosures.
Warner Mauger, a mechanic who became a successful businessman and philanthropist, signed two deeds in December 2018 gifting $1.035 million to two employees, according to a High Court judgment seen by the Herald .
The Press has identified the employees as Simon Tucker and Louise Hermansson, who were to receive $550,000 and $485,000 respectively.
According to the judgment, the $1.035m was transferred from Warner Mauger’s personal bank account to Saunders & Co’s trust account.
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