Mauger family suing law firm over father's million-dollar gifts
Tuesday 29 September 2026 · 2 outlets · 2 reports · updated In this story Phil Mauger
Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger and his siblings are taking legal action against Saunders & Co regarding advice given to their late father. The dispute involves more than $1 million gifted to two employees in 2018. The High Court has ordered the law firm to provide more detail regarding documents it claims are privileged.
Key facts
4 facts
- Warner Mauger gifted $550,000 to Simon Tucker and $485,000 to Louise Hermansson in 2019
- Warner Mauger died in November 2020
- The legal case is set for trial on 22 February next year
- The Mauger family's case against the employees settled in 2024
The full story
1 min read · 2 outlets
Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger and his siblings are taking legal action against the law firm Saunders & Co. The family alleges the firm provided deficient advice regarding gifts made by their late father, Warner Mauger, shortly before his death. The case is scheduled for trial on 22 February next year.
In December 2018, Warner Mauger signed two deeds gifting a total of $1,035,000 to two employees, Simon Tucker and Louise Hermansson. The funds were transferred from his personal account to the law firm's trust account. Former Saunders partner Cran Bull told the client the firm would not release the money until a medical certificate confirmed his mental capacity.
Dr Harsed Chima provided a certificate in January 2019 stating Mauger was "currently of sound mind". Saunders & Co has filed a claim against Dr Chima, alleging a "negligent misstatement". Dr Chima is defending the claim by arguing it was filed more than six years after the certificate was issued.
Associate Judge Bill Gambrill recently ordered Saunders & Co to provide a detailed list of documents it claims are privileged. The judge ruled that earlier documents could be relevant to when the firm became aware of potential liability. The judge also declined a request to force Dr Chima to answer questions about his clinical practice before the trial.
How it developed
- Tue 29 Sep, 11:33amThe High Court ordered Saunders & Co to individually list challenged documents and specify the basis for any privilege claims.
Where reports differ
- One report states the family notified the law firm of potential claims in 2023, while another specifies this occurred in October 2023
Compiled from reports by The Press and NZ Herald.