Gregory Shanahan

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Property Law; Real Estate; Education; Private Wealth

AWARDS

• In September 2007, Gregory was made a Papal Knight when His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, made Gregory a member of the Papal Order of St Gregory the Great in recognition of “outstanding services rendered to the welfare of society and the Church”. This is the highest recognition the Catholic Church may confer upon a layperson.

• Gregory is a life member of the Auckland Orchestral Society in recognition of his support for the Orchestra and chairmanship of the Board.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Master of Laws – Victoria University, Wellington
• Bachelor of Laws – Victoria University, Wellington

APPOINTMENTS

Honorary Counsul General of the Czech Republic

As a result of HIS long involvement in and work with and for the Czech community in New Zealand, in June 2001 Gregory was appointed the Honorary Consul for the Czech Republic in Auckland. He has been an active member of the Consular Corps in Auckland promoting and developing trade associations and missions to Auckland and elsewhere in New Zealand as well as cultural exchanges and education. Gregory served as the Deputy Dean of the Auckland Consular Corps and in 2012 was appointed the Honorary Consul General for the Czech Republic.

Gregory was instrumental in promoting and establishing the:
New Zealand Europe Business Council Inc. and is a founding and active member of the Council; and
Czech New Zealand business Association and is its founding president of the Association.

PRO BONO

Throughout his career Gregory has been involved in various work for different sectors of society on a pro bono basis. Current commitments include:

• Catholic Church: Gregory chairs several bodies in the Catholic Church in Auckland which support and promote the mission of the Church.
• Educational Trust: Gregory is a founding trustee of the Keystone New Zealand Property Education Trust. This trust was established in 1995. The trust offers scholarships to students from around New Zealand leaving secondary school, wishing to undertake university study, who’s personal and family circumstances would otherwise make it difficult for them to do so.
• Mobility Assistance Dogs Trust: Gregory is a trustee of the New Zealand Mobility Assistance Dogs Trust, a charitable trust. The object of the Trust is to fund and train service dogs to assist the physically disabled in New Zealand. The Trust is expanding into providing other types of support dogs and has successfully operated a “puppies in prison” programme in conjunction with the NZ Corrections Department.
• H. Couch Auckland Heart Trust: Gregory is a trustee of the A. H. Couch Auckland Heart Trust, a charitable trust. The trust was established in Auckland to fund cardiology research grants.
• Staples Education Foundation Gregory is a founding trustee of an educational charity seeded by Hayden Staples, an Auckland businessman. The trust provides:
  • Scholarships, mentoring services and work opportunities and networks to students leaving Dilworth School (a secondary school for boys) and McAuley High School (a secondary school for girls) for higher education: and
  • Scholarships to Master students at the University of Auckland studying piano at performance level. These scholarships include working with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and the opportunity to give public recitals as well as master classes with visiting performing artists.