“Mahia te mahi, hei painga mō te iwi – work for the betterment of the people” — Princess Te Puea Hērangi

In many ways, working for the betterment of people is what we all aspire to do as lawyers. But special recognition should be given to the kaupapa that Te Hunga Rōia Māori o Aotearoa / New Zealand Māori Law Society (Te Hunga Rōia Māori) has led over the last 35 years. Since 1988, Te Hunga Rōia Māori has made an incredible contribution to the profession, to the public and to the practice of law in Aotearoa New Zealand. Not only the members of Te Hunga Rōia Māori who have gone on to achieve many ‘firsts’ but also the many hundreds – if not thousands – of members who have in their own way made the establishment do things differently.

The relationship between the Law Society and Te Hunga Rōia Māori is a special one and it is a relationship I value a great deal. The many aspects of the work we do together – whether recently through the Independent Review, or on other special projects to attract more Māori into the profession and strive towards better diversity across all levels and areas of the law – are crucial to a more modern, inclusive, diverse and representative legal profession here in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The contribution Māori have made more generally is also something we should celebrate more publicly. Right from when Sir Apirana Turupa Ngata was admitted as the first Māori barrister and solicitor in 1897, through to Dame Georgina te Heuheu being admitted as the first wahine Māori barrister and solicitor in 1972 and Justice Sir Joe Williams being elevated to the Supreme Court in 2019, many of these milestones are thoroughly worth celebrating. You will see a very important mihi to Moana Jackson – noted in ‘How it all began’ as Te Hunga Rōia Māori’s “champion of Māori jurisprudence and legal tikanga” – perhaps one of the most important Māori legal academics and champions of tikanga Aotearoa has ever had.

I recently had the privilege of listening to some of our foremost experts on tikanga and the law, as I attended a fabulous wananga organised by Mai Chen and New Zealand Asian Lawyers – and I congratulate them on pulling together such a great event. The speakers included Justice Williams of the Supreme Court of New Zealand, Justice Whata of the High Court of New Zealand, Justice Powell of the High Court of New Zealand, Judge Taumaunu, Chief Judge of the District Court of New Zealand, Judge Fox Deputy Chief Judge of the Māori Land Court of New Zealand, and Judge Doogan of the Māori Land Court of New Zealand and alternate Judge of the Environment Court of New Zealand. Tikanga and the law is a fascinating, dynamic and critically important area. It’s a positive development which makes us unique on the world stage. This is going to be a huge learning exercise for many of us as lawyers and I encourage you to embrace the opportunity.

The relationship between the Law Society and Te Hunga Rōia Māori is a special one... The many aspects of the work we do together... are crucial to a more modern, inclusive, diverse and representative legal profession here in Aotearoa New Zealand

By the time LawTalk reaches you, consultation on the recommendations from the Independent Review will have concluded and the Law Society will be shaping its response for consideration by the Minister of Justice. The Panel’s recommendation that a new statute for the regulation of lawyers should include a stand-alone, overarching Te Tiriti clause has received a lot of attention. There has been some commentary suggesting that the obligations would apply to individual practitioners. It is important to note, however, that this recommendation applies to a new regulator, and not to lawyers or the duties they have. More information is available on the Law Society website.

I want to thank you for taking the time to feed back on these important recommendations that will hopefully change the profession for the better. The independent review is an important step forward to outlining the potential changes that are needed for the legal profession in the future, but it is going to take all of us working together to achieve the differences that are needed.

Finally, as I reflect on this edition of LawTalk, I want to thank Te Hunga Rōia Māori for their extensive contribution to the legal profession, doing the work to ensure Aotearoa New Zealand is a place that is better for all people.