The New Zealand Law Society’s Continuing Legal Education provider has released a video of new President, Tiana Epati speaking about why she became a lawyer.
In September last year Tiana Epati was campaigning to become President of the New Zealand Law Society and she featured as a guest speaker at the ‘An Inspirational Career’ conference in Auckland, held by NZLS CLE Ltd – Continuing Legal Education.
Tiana told a powerful story of what motivated her to become a lawyer and why her career sights were set high.
She was one of a diverse group of women who were asked to speak on the meaning of success in their lives and to offer career advice by sharing her life experience. The keynote speaker at the conference was Lady Hale (Brenda Hale) who amongst many other achievements was the first female president of the United Kingdom’s Supreme Court.
Tiana’s story is a moving and honest account and includes details about her upbringing in Samoa before moving to New Zealand when she was 10 years old. Tiana talks about many of the challenges that her family encountered, when relocating to New Zealand and about her determination to gain a good education which includes her experience with studying law in Auckland.
She also talks about how her legal career was kick started through a chance encounter with a group of lawyers when she was working as a waitress upon graduating from law school. She was preparing to undergo her Professional Legal Studies Course at the time, which all graduates do before being admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the High Court.
The speech delivered before Tiana Epati was elected as the 31st President of the Law Society, has only been released this week by NZLS CLE Ltd and can be viewed here.