Auckland lawyer Kathryn Beck assumed her new role as the New Zealand Law Society’s 30th President at the Society’s Council meeting on 15 April.

She succeeded Chris Moore, who served as President for three years.

A partner of boutique employment law firm SBM Legal, Ms Beck is the Society’s third woman President.

Dame Judith Potter, who would go on to become a High Court Judge, was the Society’s first woman President. She served from 1991 to 1994. Dame Potter was appointed a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2013 New Year Honours for services to the judiciary.

The Society’s second woman President was Christine Grice, now the Society’s Executive Director. She was President from 2000 to 2003.

Following an election in October 2015, Ms Beck became the Society’s President-Elect (see LawTalk 877, 6 November 2015, page 23). The four Law Society Vice-Presidents were also declared elected at the Council’s 15 April meeting. They are:

• Auckland Vice-President, Tim Jones;
• Central North Island Vice-President, Tiana Epati;
• Wellington Vice-President, Nerissa Barber; and
• South Island Vice-President, Andrew Logan.