Governance is by an elected Branch Council, consisting of the branch President, the Vice-President and five Council members. The President, Paul Gray, represents the branch on the New Zealand Law Society's Council. 

The branch functions include:

• representing and serving the interests of local Law Society members; 

• upholding the fundamental obligations imposed by the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006 on lawyers who provide regulated services;

• attending to representative functions, including promoting collegiality within the branch;

• assisting and promoting law reform.

Location

The Southland branch includes the centres of Gore, Invercargill, Mataura, Otautau, Riverton, Tapanui, Te Anau, Tuatapere, Winton and Wyndham.