Wellington has highest proportion of lawyers in New Zealand

Wellington City has one lawyer for every 91 inhabitants – by far the highest proportion for New Zealand.

Information from the New Zealand Law Society shows that 2153 lawyers working in Wellington hold practising certificates. This is 19.8% of all practising certificates held by New Zealand resident lawyers. 

The high proportion is mainly due to the large number of lawyers in Wellington who work for government or business – over 41% of all Wellington lawyers. Overall, 21% of New Zealand lawyers work for government or business.

The 10,886 practising certificates held by lawyers resident in New Zealand works out at one lawyer for every 405 New Zealanders. A further 292 lawyers are based overseas.

Auckland has 42.5% of New Zealand’s lawyers, with 4629. This means one in 293 Aucklanders is a lawyer. Christchurch has the third-highest number of lawyers, with 949, giving it one lawyer for 411 inhabitants.

After Wellington, Warkworth has the highest proportion of lawyers, with one for every 194 inhabitants. Queenstown (one lawyer per 203 inhabitants), Kerikeri (one per 205), Alexandra (one per 281) and Wellsford (one per 292) are also well-lawyered.

© New Zealand Law Society 2008