The 2026/2027 Practising Certificate renewals are open. Please renew by 30 June 2026.
Meet our Board and Executive Leadership team
David is a partner in the dispute resolution team at Dentons Kensington Swan. He manages commercial and civil disputes and focusses particularly on competition law, product liability, liability insurance, and trust disputes. He has been involved in major multi-party litigation including class actions. He has also worked in London. David is a past-President of the Auckland Branch of the Law Society, and was a member of the Women’s Advisory Panel.
David is President of the Law Society.
Misha advises and acts for insurers and their insureds clients with a focus on liability claims – general liability, construction liability, third party property claims, and product liability.
Misha is an experienced civil litigator who regularly represents insureds in litigated and contentious claims across a wide range of sectors. She is particularly known for her work in the construction sector and in the health and life science sector (utilising her science degree).
She also regularly represents insureds in regulatory and disciplinary investigations and proceedings and assists insures with coronial inquiries and complaints.
Misha is ranked by Chambers & Partner as an Up-and-Coming individual for insurance law in New Zealand and as a Next Generation Partner in The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific.
Ataga’i (Ata) is a director in the law firm Family Law Specialists, in Porirua. A firm as explained by its name, specialising in family law, she has been in private practice since 2011. She represents children (Lawyer for Child), elderly people (Lawyer for the Subject Person), parents and whānau in proceedings before the Family Court.
Ata is of Samoan and NZ European descent, and until recently was a co-President of the Pacific Lawyers Association. Ata is the Porirua Representative on the Family Law Section and an Advisor for the Grants and Scholarships Committee for the Borrin Foundation. Prior to practice Ata was a financial accountant, as well as an English teacher in Oita, Japan. Ata also holds a Bachelor in Accounting and Commercial Law and contributes her knowledge from a background in both law and commerce.
Jesse is a barrister working from Riverbank Chambers. Previously he was a partner at Norris Ward McKinnon, where he led their Civil Litigation practice. He has experience in a wide range of commercial disputes, with a particular focus on complex property and commercial dispute work.
He is a former President of the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Branch. Prior to that he served three terms as a Branch Council member.
Before entering the law, Jesse spent more than a decade living in Japan where he worked in various roles, including translating medical research. Aside from the law, he has previously volunteered at Community Law and was a trustee of the Warhorse Charitable Trust. He has also been involved with the Waikato refugee community and remains active in the local Japanese community.
Mark is a leader of the Commercial and Property Law team at Harmans in Christchurch. He is also the firm’s managing partner, a role he has held since the start of 2020. Mark specialises in commercial property , business and commercial law, franchising, rural law and asset protection.
From 2015 – 2025 Mark sat on the executive committee of the New Zealand Law Society’s Property Law Section (“PLS”). Mark was elected as the Chair of the PLS in 2021 and held the role for four years.
Mark holds an LLB (Hons)/BCom from the University of Canterbury and is a member of the Institute of Directors.
Baden Vertongen (Ngāti Raukawa ki Te Tonga) is a barrister and solicitor in sole practice in Wellington. He also works as a mediator in disputes across a ranges of issues and is a Fellow of the Arbitrators’ and Mediators’ Institute of New Zealand. Baden’s legal work has included assisting with several Treaty of Waitangi settlement negotiations, Crown/Māori partnerships, and advice to post settlement iwi entities and other large Māori organisations on governance and statutory obligations. Baden is a former Tumuaki Tāne of Te Hunga Rōia Māori o Aotearoa (the Māori Law Society) and holds, or has held, a range of other governance roles.
Michael Mills has been appointed to the Law Society Board as an independent observer. Michael has deep expertise in public policy and regulatory reform, including building regulatory reform, dairy industry restructuring, the Forest Emissions Trading scheme, land zoning in Christchurch following the Christchurch earthquakes, earthquake prone building policy, drinking water regulation, and water services delivery reform. Michael has a BA in Sociology and has been a Partner at consulting firm Martin Jenkins since 2002.
Anna is a Senior Partner in the Commercial Team at Saunders Robinson Brown in Christchurch, and former head of the Commercial Team. She held the firm’s Managing Partner position from 2017 until mid-2021. She has expertise in commercial and corporate law and extensive commercial property experience with a focus on residential and commercial developments. She advises clients on all aspects of property development and acts for a range of commercial property owners providing advice on leasing arrangements. Anna is a Director of Nelson Building Society (and Chair of their Audit and Risk Committee). Anna holds a LLB/BA (Psychology) from the University of Otago.
Ms Rusbatch was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the New Zealand Law Society Te Kāhui Ture o Aotearoa in December 2022. She joined the Law Society as General Manager Professional Standards (Regulatory) in 2021 where she oversaw our regulatory work, including the Lawyers Complaints Service, Registry and the Inspectorate.
Before joining the Law Society, Katie was Head of Competition at the Commerce Commission where she led the cartel, merger and abuse of market power investigation teams. Ms Rusbatch started her legal career in New Zealand before working in the United Kingdom and Singapore.
Bronwyn is responsible for the leadership of the Law Society’s Policy, Law Reform, Advocacy functions and relationships with the Judiciary, and government departments. The group is responsible for providing high level strategic advice and submissions on new and existing laws, policies, and protocols. The group is also responsible for the Law Society’s rule of law and administration of justice law reform and advocacy. The group supports and advises the Chief Executive, President, and the Law Society in relation to stakeholder relationships and management and oversees the Law Society’s international work. Bronwyn has been with the Law Society for nearly 20 years.
Amanda leads the team that delivers services and support for all 17,000+ lawyers within the profession, including via three specialist sections - for family, property and in-house lawyers - 13 regional branches, and the national network of law libraries.
Amanda’s focus is ensuring the profession, including 10,000 paid members of the Law Society, has access to education, collegiality and support in the moments that matter.
Before joining the Law Society, Amanda was the General Manager of Marketing, Communications and Engagement at DairyNZ, the science and research organisation funded by dairy farmers.
Michael joined the Law Society in April 2025. Previously, he worked at the Institute of Directors New Zealand, where he led the Learning and Commercial teams. Michael is a seasoned executive with a diverse background and experience across education and thought leadership in professional bodies. Michael has led teams who have delivered tailored governance development programmes for organisations including the Education Review Office, Cook Islands Investment Corporation, Oceania Rugby, The Treasury, Ministry of Primary Industries and New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He is also a Chartered Accountant and holds a PhD in the area.
Maria joined the Law Society in January 2021 and manages the Corporate Services team which is responsible for Information Technology, Finance and Facilities. Across these areas of responsibility, the team is focused on supporting the development of the Law Society through building corporate functions that are fit-for-the-future. This work includes a significant technology modernisaton programme in support of the Law Society’s strategy to build capability and effectiveness.
Peter manages the Human Resources functions at the Law Society including payroll. Over the past year the People and Culture team have been working on developing and implementing policies and systems to support our people, these include a new performance review system, engagement survey, learning and development programs to support wellbeing and the first stage of identifying a new payroll and HR information system. Peter joined the Law Society in 2019 from senior people leadership roles in the retail and Health and Disability sectors.
Gareth is responsible for overseeing our regulatory work, including the Lawyers Complaints Service, legal, registry and inspectorate. Gareth’s focus is to embed the Regulatory Strategy; increase the efficiency of the Law Society’s regulatory functions and the public profile of our regulatory work, including access to information for consumers and the profession; and support the Law Society's response to the Independent Review’s recommendations. Gareth has been with the Law Society since 2014, as a Professional Standards Officer, Legal and Registry Services Manager and Chief Legal Counsel (Professional Standards) prior to his current appointment.
Belinda joined the Law Society in January 2021, and was appointed General Manager of Marketing and Communications in December 2022. Belinda and her team have been supporting the modernisation of the Law Society by streamlining delivery and professionalism of marketing and communications activity, developing the brand, and publishing significant reports such as the Independent Review. Belinda joined the Law Society from sports regulator Drug Free Sport New Zealand, and has previously worked in communications and advertising in the United States and Australia.