Lawyer numbers exceed 18,000 as at 30 June 2026

Provisional figures from the New Zealand Law Society Te Kāhui Ture o Aotearoa show the legal profession has reached a new milestone, with 18,018 lawyers as at 30 June 2026.

Lawyer struck off over unlawful property arrangement

The New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal has struck off Auckland lawyer Vivian Wei Ma for assisting a client to subvert the Overseas Investment Act 2005 in relation to the purchase of property in New Zealand and for failing to establish a retainer and acting in circumstances of conflicting duties. Ms Ma…

AML/CFT audit obligations in focus following DIA enforcement action

Law firms that are reporting entities under the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009 are being reminded of the importance of meeting their independent audit obligations after the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) issued formal warnings to a number of reporting entities, including six law firms, for…

Accessible and Affordable Justice programme launched

Secretary for Justice Andrew Kibblewhite has written to the legal profession to outline what will happen as part of the Accessible and Affordable Justice programme. This programme will be led by the Ministry of Justice and responds to the outcome of the 2025 Triennial Review of the Legal Aid scheme. 

Tribunal decision highlights importance of managing conflicts of interest 

The New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal has made penalty orders in respect of a former practitioner, who accepted a charge of negligence, and his son, who accepted a charge of misconduct, for failing to identify and appropriately manage conflicts of interests.

From reflection to action – have you started planning your CPD year?

The start of the new Continuing Professional Development (CPD) year in April, and the beginning of the new practising year in July, bring with them the opportunity to reflect on the past year and look ahead to the coming year’s growth through learning.    A key part of the CPD process is the CPD plan and record (CPDPR). Designed to be a forward-thinking exercise, the preparation of a CPDPR provides a framework for planning the…

Court of Appeal declines Gautam Jindal leave to appeal

The Court of Appeal has declined Gautam Jindal leave to appeal the High Court’s decision upholding the liability and penalty decisions of the New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal (the Tribunal). The High Court agreed with the Tribunal that Mr Jindal had engaged in professional misconduct and that a six-month suspension was warranted. Mr Jindal unsuccessfully sought leave to appeal that decision from the High Court…

What Budget 2026 means for the legal profession

Budget 2026 has allocated additional funding for two new courthouses, as well as time-limited funding to address cost pressures for court and coroner services, and the ongoing demand and cost of administering legal aid.

Inside the Annual Breakfast with the Chief Justice: AI, justice and the future of the profession

Lawyers from across Wellington gathered this morning for the Law Society’s sold-out second annual breakfast address with Chief Justice Dame Helen Winkelmann, hosted by Law Society President David Campbell and Chief Executive Katie Rusbatch.  

Marking International Women’s Day

As the Law Society marks International Women’s Day this year, we reflect on the increasing role of women in the legal profession in Aotearoa New Zealand – and the equity questions that come with that progress.