Auckland barrister Faumui Penelope (Lope) Ginnen has been appointed a District Court Judge to be based in Manukau.

Judge Ginnen. 

Judge Ginnen is of Samoan (Safune, Tufutafoe, Leauva’a, Lefaga) and Pākehā descent.  She was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in October 1991.

She has been a barrister at Halcyon Chambers since 2005. Before that she was at the law firm King Alofivae Malosi founded by Judge La-Verne King; Ali’imuamua Sandra Alofivae and Judge Ida Malosi; and then a partner at KAM Legal.  Earlier in her career she was at Burns Hart & Co, Grey Lynn Neighbourhood Law Office and Russell McVeagh.

She has presented at law conferences in New Zealand and Samoa; and is a member of the faculty of the Pacific Islands Litigation Officers Network Litigation Skills Programme.

Judge Ginnen has had a corporate governance career alongside her family law practice.  She currently sits on the boards of Auckland District Health Board; Vaka Tautua; Emerge Aotearoa; Brainwave Trust Aotearoa; Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra; Bruce Pulman Park Trust; the Community Advisory Group to the Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Courts; the Independent Advisory Group to Precision Driven Health; and Waka Hourua Maori and Pacific Suicide Prevention Programme.

Judge Ginnen will be sworn in on 26 July 2019 in Manukau. She will also have jurisdiction as a Family Court Judge.