Deborah Chambers KC, the Trust Buster for the Brokenhearted

John Bowie

The NZ Herald published a glowing feature about Deborah Chambers KC, the Power List divorce lawyer who has become perhaps the most prominent divorce and trust and relationship property lawyer in the country.

She is also, reputedly, one of the top-charging KCs with hourly rates running at circa $1500.

>>Looking for a new law job? Check LawFuel’s network

As the Herald pointed out, it is all a long way from her roots.

She comes with her own colourful backstory, from “white trash roots” in a North Shore state house and a Hells Angel brother to the property she shared with Husband #2, Justice Robert Chambers QC, who tragically died suddenly in 2013.

Now, the ‘divorce diva’ as we once described her on this site (although without the excesses seen by Britain’s equivalent, Aryesha Vardag. She does, however exhibit a mode de vie on both the social pages, as much as her professional endeavours.

Nonetheless, personal and professional accomplishments and events have cemented her role atop the country’s leading KCs.

The early death of Justice Chambers led to an ugly dispute with her stepson, also reported in The Herald, relating to a $2.5 million asset distribution, a matter that she is uniquely able to opine upon given her representation of many Real Housewives from anywhere who have faced off against (mainly) rich husbands.

More recently, she has also been linked personally to former mayor John Banks (which she said was not one that made them a couple). She spoke out publicly opposing Philip Polkinghorne’s Northern Club membership when he was fresh from his murder trial and provided vehement support for the regrettable position his late wife faced.

But her professional work cannot be overshadowed by the personal headlines she garners.

Cases That Rewrote the Rules

When the Supreme Court ruled in Clayton v Clayton that trust assets aren’t immune from division, it wasn’t just a win for her client. It was a seismic shift in how lawyers approach “ring-fenced” wealth, proving that even the most bulletproof structures can’t outmaneuver a determined KC.

Clayton cracked open the thorny issue of business trusts in relationship property, altering how we approach wealth division in divorce.

Chambers’ fingerprints are on several key NZ divorce law. In Z v Z: her argument that a spouse’s future earning capacity is relationship property now anchors the Property (Relationships) Act.

“We’ve moved beyond valuing just bank accounts,” she says. “A CEO’s unexercised stock options? A surgeon’s exclusive client list? That’s all fair game”.

While TikTok’s #tradwife trend romanticizes homemaking, Chambers issues blunt warnings: “Opt out of earnings, and you’re gambling your future on someone else’s goodwill.”

Her female clients—some now out-earning husbands—learn to audit joint accounts before filing papers. “I tell them: Buy the car, renovate the kitchen now. Once proceedings start, every transaction gets scrutinized”.

The Real Cost of “I Don’t”

She points out that the average time for a contested NZ divorce is three years—a timeline she calls “absurd” compared to U.S. states where asset freezes force quicker settlements.

Sarah Sparks’ $2M legal feud with ex Greg Olliver isn’t an outlier; it’s a cautionary tale. “Mediation costs $100K on a good day,” Chambers notes. “But court? That’s where savings accounts go to die”.

What is her advice to lawyers counseling soon-to-be exes?

1. Demand full disclosure early—offshore accounts and shell companies included.
2. Anticipate dirty tricks (think: curtain rods stuffed with fish, car interiors marinaded in meat soup).
3. Social media clauses are non-negotiable. “A vengeful Instagram post can tank settlements faster than a hidden trust.”

She has begun adding social media clauses to separation agreements, requiring parties to maintain respect and privacy online – a telling indicator of how family law practice continues to evolve. She’s also outspoken about the “tradwife” movement, warning that financial dependency remains dangerous regardless of gender.

She’s the first to admit that most clients emerge happier—just ask the woman who traded a loveless marriage for a vineyard, or the dad who finally bonded with his kids post-custody battle. “Divorce isn’t failure,” she insists. “It’s course-correcting”.

The Unfinished Reforms: A System in Stasis

Despite her wins, Chambers fumes over stalled Law Commission proposals. “We need automatic asset freezes, stricter disclosure rules, and better tools to pierce trusts,” she argues. While the U.S. fast-tracks splits with procedural rigor, NZ’s Family Court backlogs leave clients in limbo—a discordant note in her otherwise orchestrated process1.

Her takeaway for practitioners? Push harder. “We’ve normalized 3-year divorces. That’s not justice; it’s attrition.”

Why Lawyers Keep Her on Speed Dial

For lawyers representing clients working through divorce, Chambers’ playbook offers some blunt truths, which keeps her busy with the work that made her big money and a big reputation.

• Trusts aren’t safe havens—Clayton proved that.
• Document everything, even if your client claims “total transparency.”
• Prep clients for frugality—post-divorce lifestyles rarely mirror marital luxury.

And her final tip? “Never underestimate a scorned spouse’s creativity. If they’re not hiding assets, they’re hiding sardines.”