Eleanor Howell has won the prize for the top graduating student in the 2016 Legal Executive Diploma examinations conducted by the New Zealand Law Society.
The examinations were held at 23 New Zealand venues as well as 14 overseas venues in late October 2016, with 879 candidates sitting 1111 examinations covering the six subjects which make up the Diploma.
As a result of the examinations, and once the appeals period has concluded, 125 students will graduate and receive their diplomas at ceremonies organised by the local branches of the New Zealand Law Society.
Each year the students who gained the highest mark nationally in each of the six subjects are awarded a $150 prize by the Law Society. This year there were two papers with two prize winners.
Legal Executive Diploma 2016 Examinations: Prize Winners
| Subject | Prize Winner | Teaching Institute |
| Top graduating student | Eleanor Howell | Open Polytechnic |
| Introduction to Legal System | Elizabeth Hogbin | Open Polytechnic |
| Introduction to Law Office Practice | Kwan Yung Podjursky | Open Polytechnic |
| Property Law and Practice | Sophia Esther Burton | Open Polytechnic |
| Business Law and Practice | Geniveve Kent | Toi Ohomai |
| Courtney McHugh | Open Polytechnic | |
| Estates Law and Practice | Catherine Ruth Thompson | Toi Ohomai |
| Geniveve Kent | Toi Ohomai | |
| Litigation Law and Practice | Eleanor Howell | Open Polytechnic |