Esther Cohen-Goh began her legal career in the community law sector where she developed a strong interest in family law and an appreciation for the importance of empathetic, client‑centered care. She later worked as a Police Prosecutor where she strengthened her court advocacy skills and gained exposure to a wide range of criminal law matters, including the complex issues arising from family violence‑related offending. Ultimately, Esther returned to family law, which she knew was the area in which she wanted to build her long‑term career.
Esther works across a wide range of family law matters, including relationship property disputes, parenting and guardianship issues, care of children proceedings, and family violence matters. She is committed to supporting individuals and families through challenging times and prioritises clear communication and empathetic client care, ensuring that every client feels heard and supported throughout the legal process.
Lauren Phillips worked as a Risk and Compliance Specialist and Research Clerk at the ADR Centre before joining the team at Schnauer and Co. In these roles, she contributed to ReSolution and BuildLaw publications and authored a range of arbitration articles. She developed her passion for helping people, and for family law, while volunteering at the Waitematā Community Law Centre and through her work with Women’s Refuge and Blind Low Vision NZ Guide Dogs.
Lauren is deeply committed to social justice and approaches her family law practice with empathy, compassion, and integrity. Lauren recognises the sensitive and often challenging nature of the issues her clients face and is dedicated to supporting them through both the highs and lows that life can bring, helping them achieve constructive and meaningful resolutions.
We are delighted to have Lauren and Esther join us at SCO – they have already successfully helped a number of clients since joining us. To find out more about how we can help with your Family Law needs, click here.