The first New Zealand resident to be appointed Governor-General, Sir Denis spent 32 years as a partner in a large law firm and ended his legal career as President of the New Zealand Law Society. He also served a term as High Commissioner for New Zealand in Britain. He was born...

Laurie Southwick was the 17th elected President of the New Zealand Law Society. An expert litigator, during the 1970s he became one of the first specialists in the emerging field of planning law. Born in Fairlie in 1916, Laurie Southwick attended Rotorua High School and graduated LLB at Auckland University in...

Born in Napier, Storkey attended Napier Boys’ High School where he excelled academically and in rifle shooting, cricket and swimming. He was Dux in 1910 and won the national Navy League essay prize with “Why Britain must command the Sea”, but moved to Sydney in January 1912 after studying English...

Andrew Hooker Prominent Auckland barrister and solicitor Andrew Hooker died after a motorcycle accident in northern New South Wales on 11 March. He was aged 56. The managing partner of Shine Lawyers, where Andrew was a consultant, Angela Parlane, says Andrew Hooker was regarded as a guru in insurance law and standing...

Jock Wynter Blathwayt Defence lawyer Jock Blathwayt was a household name in the Wairarapa legal community. He practised law for nearly 60 years, working at the coalface of criminal law. He represented people that many would feel uneasy about doing but that was his job. He did it with passion and defended...

Daniel Winfield Wellington-based Duncan Cotterill partner Dan Winfield who died on 17 January will be remembered as a man with a great sense of humour who excelled as a lawyer, but strongly believed family came first when it came to managing the demands of his busy legal career. It’s never easy to...

Judge Ford A former Chief Justice of the Kingdom of Tonga and Judge of the Employment Court of New Zealand, Tony Ford died in Wellington on 31 January 2020. He was aged 77. An influential  reformer in the Tongan courts, a kind and patient Employment Court judge, he was a man whose...

To the many staff at Buddle Findlay, lawyer Wayne Chapman who died on 27 January after a short illness was a colossal personality. He’ll be remembered not just for his legal skills but also for his immense connection with people. Wayne Chapman was 75 years old and a property law consultant...

Judge Rob Ronayne District Court Judge Rob Ronayne will be remembered as a fair and empathetic man who tirelessly served the legal profession for over 40 years. Judge Ronayne died suddenly at his Auckland home on 7 January. He was 64 years old. In paying tribute to him, Chief District Court Judge Heemi...

Harry Edward Harry Edward died suddenly on 27 October 2019. Rotorua has lost one of its most respected and colourful criminal defence counsel. Harry was born in Rotorua on 14 September 1950. His family moved to Ashburton for a time before returning to Rotorua. Harry entered the law after working as a...