Prominent Queenstown Lawyer Becomes Notary Public
Prominent Queenstown Lawyer Becomes Notary Public
July 30 2015: Prominent Queenstown resource
management lawyer and MACTODD partner, Jayne Macdonald, was
recently granted a “Notarial Faculty” making her the
resort’s first female Notary Public and only the second
woman in the South Island to currently hold the role.
A Notary Public is traditionally accorded to a senior partner in a law firm and Macdonald, who became MACTODD’s first woman partner in 2002, received the appointment from the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Portal.
“It is a privilege to be granted Notary Public status and it is significant for Queenstown because of the town’s international focus,” says Macdonald. “Notaries can officially witness signatures on legal documents, administer oaths and certify the authenticity of documents usually for use overseas. With the increasing number of international visitors, and people taking up residence here, there is a growing call for notary services because a notary’s signature is the only one that is recognised on the majority of documents for use in overseas jurisdictions.”
Macdonald already has a high profile in the Queenstown Lakes District as an expert adviser in resource management and leads a talented and experienced environmental and resource management law team.
She considers one of the most pressing issues presently facing the local community is the proposed change to the Queenstown Lakes District Plan, due for notification on August 12 2015.
“The changes are critical for people to understand and MACTODD’s senior resource management practitioner Tony Ray and I have been rigorous in our analysis of the upcoming changes, and have produced a series of informative summaries on what the changes will involve, and what they will mean for property and business owners in the Queenstown and Wanaka area.”
Macdonald says MACTODD can assist people during the eight week submission process to gain a better understanding of the changes and their ramifications.
“We expect the response to the local authority’s changes will be mixed given the proposals to increase development rights across many zones including density of development and building height. The plan’s attempt to streamline and simplify the planning process by refining non-notification provisions is another issue likely to attract diverse public input.”
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