John Unsworth

Partner LLB

John was born in Clyde, grew up in Blenheim and obtained his law degree from Canterbury University in 1984.

John joined Horsley Christie Brown & Co in 1984 and practised in conveyancing and property law before joining the litigation team in 1986.  John joined the partnership of Horsley Christie in 1991.

He now specialises in employment disputes, relationship property, trust and family estate claims, civil and insurance litigation, Maori land law, medico-legal issues, Coroners inquests and commercial litigation.

John regularly appears in the District, Family and High Courts, as well as the Maori Land Court and Employment Relations Authority and Employment Court. He has conducted many employment mediations.

John is a former Vice President of the New Zealand Law Society and President of the Whanganui Branch of the NZLS.

Other current roles:

• Chair Sport Whanganui
• Chair Whanganui Hospice Foundation
• Chair Whanganui Boys and Girls Gym Club Trust

Outside the law, John enjoys friends, coffee, walking, mountain biking, the gym golf, and watching all sport.

Peter Brown

Partner LLB

Peter graduated from Victoria University of Wellington in 1984.

Peter is solution orientated, honest, and reliable who believes in doing a job properly or not doing it at all.

Peter is an outdoors man who enjoys mountain biking, skiing, tramping, fishing and hunting.

Sarah Brown

Partner LLB, BA, NZLSFamMed

Sarah graduated from Victoria University of Wellington in 2006, joining the Litigation Team at Horsley Christie that same year.

Sarah, born in Whanganui, is determined, conscientious and practical. She particularly enjoys working with families to help them to resolve disputes in an efficient, practical and child focused way.

Sarah is an accredited member of the New Zealand Law Society Panel of Mediators and approved Family Disputes Resolution Provider. She is also on the Panel of Lawyers to represent children appointed by the Family Court.

Sarah is a Trustee on the Hospice Whanganui Board of Trustees and a Selection Committee Member for the Ministry of Justice Legal Aid Selection Committee.

She was a previous Council Member of the New Zealand Law Society (Whanganui) Branch and Whanganui Representative of the Family Law Section.

When not at the office, Sarah takes pleasure in spending time with her family and friends, music, and travel.

Jai Stephens

Partner LLB BCom (Finance)

Jai was born and raised in Whanganui, graduating from Canterbury University in 2015.

He began his legal career with Horsley Christie in April 2017 before spending time at a Wellington firm where he specialised in property and trusts.

Jai specialises in providing simple advice on complicated legal matters to make things easily understood and accessible.

Jai is also the current President of the Whanganui Athletic Football Club.

Away from the office Jai enjoys spending time with family and friends, football in the Winter months and a bit of golf in Summer.

Tim Oliver

Associate BProp LLB (hons)

Tim graduated from the University of Auckland in 2007.  Tim began his career in Auckland and moved to Whanganui (his wife’s hometown) in 2020, which is also when he joined the team at Horsley Christie.

Tim enjoys helping his clients to reach the most successful outcomes possible by providing them with insightful, practical advice.  He is both professional and approachable.

Tim specialises in commercial, property and employment law.  He has particular expertise with all legal aspects of the acquisition and disposal of significant business assets.  He is experienced in drafting legal contracts and regularly advises commercial landlords and property developers.

Tim is married and has two daughters.  Outside the law, Tim enjoys running, football and tennis.

Alaa Mahmoud

Law Clerk

Alaa graduated from University of Waikato in 2025, joining the Commercial and Property Team at Horsley Christie the same year. She’s currently completing her Professional Legal Studies (Profs) and hopes to be admitted in June.

Alaa brings enthusiasm, attention to detail, and a strong commitment to delivering excellent client service. She prides herself on the quality of her work and is eager to apply her knowledge and growing expertise to assist clients with a wide range of commercial and property matters.

Alaa is looking forward to meeting clients and building lasting relationships as she begins her career with Horsley Christie.

Outside of work Alaa enjoys socialising with friends and family and loves to travel.

Jack Unsworth

Law Clerk

Jack was born and raised in Whanganui and is completing his final year of his law degree at Waikato University in 2026.

Jack joined Horsley Christie in 2025 and has found a place in the litigation team, where he utilises his problem-solving skills to help resolve a myriad of civil disputes.

Jack enjoys the rigour of jumping into a new legal issue, and he takes his time to ensure accuracy in the work he produces.

Outside of the office, you’ll most likely find Jack on the golf course, at the beach or at the gym. He is also an avid music listener.

Stephanie Bishop

Registered Legal Executive

Stephanie, who had worked in London for 20 years and qualified as a Legal Executive in 2002, came to Whanganui with her Kiwi husband and young family in 2007.  She joined Horsley Christie and became a member of the New Zealand Institute of Legal Executives in 2009.

Stephanie’s main areas of expertise are in residential property transactions, trust administration, wills and powers of attorney and estate administration.  She works closely with her clients to ensure they always feel comfortable with the process and that the desired results are achieved.

Amber Olsen

Registered Legal Executive

Amber joined Horsley Christie in 2007 and is an experienced Registered Legal Executive known for delivering clear, practical support to clients across all stages of their legal matters. Amber has developed expertise in residential conveyancing, estate administration, refinancing, and related property and private client work. Amber prides herself on being approachable, efficient, and solutions-focused. Clients value Amber’s ability to explain legal processes in a straightforward way and to guide them confidently through important milestones such as buying a first home, managing family property transactions, or navigating estate responsibilities.

Known for building strong, trusted relationships, Amber works closely with clients, lawyers, and external organisations to keep matters moving smoothly and without unnecessary stress.

Outside of work, Amber enjoys spending time with family and travelling.

Sarah Gowan

PRACTICE MANAGER

Sarah joined Horsley Christie as Practice Manager in April 2019. She brings a strong background in Accounting, Administration, and Tourism, having previously worked with a local chartered accountant before moving into legal practice management.

In her role, Sarah oversees the smooth running of the firm, combining her organisational expertise with a people-focused approach that supports both staff and clients.

Sarah is married to Ricky, is the proud mother of two adult sons, and grandmother to three grandchildren. Her personal interests include traveling, reading, gardening, music, and spending quality time with family and friends.