By Ian Davidson.

Peter Kellaway passed away on 9 March 2015. The greater part of his career as a practising lawyer was spent in Hamilton. Peter was very highly regarded and respected within the legal profession and the community for his integrity and honesty, his dedication to his staff and clients and his lengthy contribution to the Waikato Bay of Plenty branch of the New Zealand Law Society.

I have been privileged for some 14 years to be closely associated with Peter and his wife Margaret on various Law Society committees and another voluntary organisation, and together with many others will sorely miss him for his friendship, wisdom, calmness, professionalism, and unfailing optimism.

Peter, the son of a senior public servant, was born in Nelson and received his secondary education at Colenso High School, Napier and Wellington College. He studied law at Victoria University of Wellington and was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in the High Court in Wellington on 18 February 1972.

Peter started his career as a solicitor with the Public Trust. In December 1972, immediately after his marriage to Margaret, they came to Hamilton to take up positions with Sandiford McBreen and Partners. Peter was admitted to partnership on 1 April 1975 and in 1983 the firm became Almao McAllen & Kellaway. Margaret rejoined the firm in 1987 and on 1 July 1997 the firm became Almao Kellaway. Peter and Margaret left the firm on 30 June 2003 and started their own firm known as Kellaways. Peter remained in practice with Margaret until his death.

Peter practised mainly as a property lawyer and also in the areas of commercial law, trusts and estate administration.

Peter served on the Audit & Practice Committee of the Waikato Bay of Plenty District Law Society from 2001 to 2007 and latterly until he passed away, on the committee of the Waikato Bay of Plenty branch responsible for interviewing practitioners who were entering into practice on their own account. He was unfailingly courteous in this role and will be remembered by many practitioners working now within the branch area.

Peter also served as a member of the Ethics Committee of the Law Society in 2001. He served the profession diligently and conscientiously over a long period of time.

In a profile posted on the internet, Peter described himself as being experienced, determined and persistent. Along with these and the other attributes described in this narrative, Peter was a devoted and proud family man. He enjoyed life to the utmost and was a frequent overseas traveller with his family.

Peter and Margaret, his wife and partner for the past 43 years, had two sons both of whom live overseas. Peter was intensely proud of both Nick and Tim and their achievements and within the last year or so was delighted to welcome Tim's wife Lissa into the Kellaway family.

Peter maintained the values that all members of the legal profession aspire to. The profession owes him a considerable debt of graditude.

This obituary was also published in the Waikato Bay of Plenty branch April 2015 e-newsletter.