Hi there! My name’s Georgia, and I’m currently working at Gawith Burridge, Masterton. My legal specialty is Elder Law (Wills, Enduring Powers of Attorney, Right Agreements) in Occupation and Estate Administration Law, and I’ve also been doing some work in Trust Law.

I was born and raised in Auckland and went to the University of Auckland to study Law. I moved to the Wairarapa at the beginning of 2021. It was definitely a bit of a culture shock moving from Auckland to the regions, but I’m slowly starting to put down my own roots here. Outside of work, I’m an avid Rugby League fan and enjoy listening to podcasts, exercising (walking, running, playing squash), baking, and have eaching myself how to crochet.

Making the transition from law school into the workforce was confusing and stressful at times, and if it weren’t for the knowledge passed down by my friends who started working before me, I definitely would not have survived. Couple that with moving out of Auckland, and it felt a lot more stressful.

Out of the National New Lawyers Group, I hope that we can create a space for new lawyers to come to and entering the legal profession, ask whatever questions they have about entering the legal profession, especially those who haven’t worked in a law firm before. I also hope that we can connect new lawyers across New Zealand, especially those living outside of the big cities, to create a sense of unity across the country.

I’m really looking forward to being a part of this group and see what tangible change we can create in the legal profession for new lawyers!

Jay Rajendram LLB (Hons)/BMS

Jay is a solicitor at Harkness Henry Lawyers which is based in Hamilton and Paeroa. He specialises in Resource Management, Employment and Alcohol Licensing Law. He completed his studies at the University of Waikato with a conjoint degree of Bachelor of Law with Honours (First Class) and Bachelor of Management Studies, before being admitted to the profession in March 2020.

One of Jay’s career highlights includes authoring the chapter on the Real Estate Agents Disciplinary Tribunal in the 2020 book New Zealand Tribunals: Law and Practice.

Jay enjoyed an association with the Waikato New Lawyers (WNL) Group during his time as a law clerk and while studying law at University, before joining the WNL Committee in June this year. In his short time on the WNL Committee and with the assistance of his fellow Committee Members, Jay was able to organise a panel of esteemed judges to speak to members of WNL about their experiences on the Bench.

He also has an ongoing association with the University of Waikato and frequently volunteers to judge negotiation and client interviewing competitions run by the Waikato University Law Students Association. Jay also volunteers as a mentor for the Asian Law Students Association at the University of Waikato.

On hearing about the exciting initiative of the New Zealand Law Society National New Lawyers Group, Jay saw an opportunity to continue his community involvement with a particular focus on promoting connectedness and collaboration between individuals who are relatively new to the profession.

He believes that there is great value to be had in networking and the sharing of experiences between new lawyers, which is perhaps even more crucial in a profession which can be highly competitive and adversarial.

I am a solicitor in the litigation team at Brookfields Lawyers in Auckland.  

I did not complete high school but after a bit of a gap I realised I was really passionate about the law and helping people in a different way, I also realised how it impacts so much of our daily lives. I decided to go back to study and graduated with a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts.  

Following graduating, I began my career working for New Zealand's largest business association, providing employment law advice to members, before moving to a mid sized suburban firm, practicing in their litigation team (family, employment, civil disputes). I gained exposure to a wide range of legal issues and gained my lead provider status in family law. I also volunteered providing legal advice to the Franklin community. 

As someone who understands how challenging things can get in both professional and personal life, I am excited to be part of the National New Lawyers Group. I understand that being new to the legal profession can be daunting and challenging, and I believe that with the right support we can all help each other succeed.  

It is really important that we are able to support each other to ensure that this profession thrives and is a positive experience and a better work place for everyone. 

I am a property and commercial lawyer for Checketts McKay Law based in their Cromwell office. I grew up in rural Southland, before studying at Otago University and settling into my legal career in Central Otago. Away from work I’m usually somewhere between a football field and a golf course.  

I was eager to join this group to provide representation for regional lawyers. There are a lot of benefits to starting your career in the regions and small centres. There is often exposure to a wide variety of work and good opportunities to become involved in the community and build your career. There is of course a smaller base of professionals and others at the same age and stage to connect with so it’s important the new lawyers group finds ways to build and develop those connections. I look forward to finding ways to promote the regions for young lawyers and to improve the experience of young lawyers throughout New Zealand. 

After completing my LLB/BSc at Victoria University in Wellington, I moved to Tauranga and started practice in a commercial firm working in civil litigation and employment. I then changed fields and I now work in criminal law as a Crown Prosecutor at Pollett Legal. I really enjoy the work I do and I have found criminal law a great field for new lawyers to work in. 

Starting your legal career can be daunting, especially if you choose to work outside of the main centres. I am looking forward to providing support for new lawyers who are working in the regions and who may not have a strong network around them as they start their careers. I was very fortunate to have some great mentors around me when I was starting my career (and I still do!) so I hope this group can help others feel the same way.