Our People

Our Team’s on Your Team.

Our clients are used to being greeted by someone who knows them and looks after all of their interests when they come to our office.

Gilding Baker Law incorporates the firm of John Gilding & Associates, a firm of 20-years standing, built up by John and synonymous with his own style of honesty, integrity and forth-right advice. Dan and Tangiwai Baker formed Gilding Baker Law and bring their own experience and personality, while continuing to honour the legacy that John created.

Dan Baker Lawyer
DAN BAKER

(MA(Hons); LLB)
DIRECTOR

Dan has a broad and deep understanding of the law, and a focus on commercial solutions. He began his legal career in Hamilton working at firm that specialised in local government law, then moved to Wellington to a boutique corporate firm. An OE beckoned and after moving to the UK Dan worked at a specialist insolvency firm. He then became in-house legal counsel for the infamous Alan Bond, honing skills in joint ventures, capital raising and getting the deal across the line. Dan then worked in a similar role for Vuna Capital, working on natural resources deals across the globe. After a few cold London winters, Dan resettled in the winterless North in 2014 and joined the Northland firm WRMK Lawyers. At WRMK he turned a new leaf in the law as a regional commercial and property specialist. Dan is also a wanna-be farmer on 30 hectares in the valleys of Parua Bay, farming Hereford cows and East Friesian sheep.

Tangiwai Baker
TANGIWAI BAKER

(Tuwharetoa, Te Rarawa/Ngati Kuri) (MSc (Distinction); LLB)
DIRECTOR

Tangiwai is focused on looking after people and getting to the point with clear advice, and prides herself on clear and concise legal drafting.  She began her career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and worked for the New Zealand High Commission in London.  Settling in the UK, she first worked in public affairs at the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA), before being invited to join its sponsoring government department, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.  She and Dan then started their family.  Time with the famous and fabulous Ngati Ranana, London Maori Club, and a Masters at the London School of Economics rounded out this time.  After returning to New Zealand, Tangiwai began practising commercial law at MWIS Lawyers in 2015 and joined the Parua Bay School Board of Trustees and later the board of Alzheimers’ Northland.  In 2020 Tangiwai became a Disputes Tribunal Referee, which she continues to do part time while practicing in the firm.

Kim Thomson
KIM THOMSON

Kim is a highly experienced legal secretary and trust account administrator who joined John in the practice in 2004 and has been a key figure in the firm’s success. Prior to that, Kim worked as a legal secretary and trust account administrator in Wellington and Whangarei and at a chartered accounting practice. Kim is a Whangarei local and has raised children who all happily still reside in Northland. Kim enjoys scrapbooking and spending time with her grandchildren.

John Gilding Lawyer
JOHN GILDING

(LLB)
RETIRED

John Gilding started practicing law in 1979 and established John Gilding & Associates in 2002, becoming a firm and practitioner readily recommended by clients and fellow peers. He provided honest, reliable and professional legal services and advice and was an accredited member of the Property Law Section of the NZ Law Society. John retired in March 2022 after spending 9 months introducing Dan and Tangiwai to the firm’s practice and clients.