LawFuel Power List 2005
No. 27
Epati’s September 2025 KC appointment made her New Zealand’s first Pacific silk—a milestone that transcends individual achievement. As NZ Law Society President (2019-2022), the first Pacific Islander and youngest person elected to the role, she championed diversity, mental health, work-life balance, and bullying/harassment reforms. She was LawFuel’s lawyer of the year in 2019.
Her criminal law practice now operates from Quay Chambers (she moved with her husband, Matanuku Mahuika, in March 2024), positioning her within an elite barristers’ set. LawFuel’s 2019 Lawyer of the Year, Epati’s influence extends beyond courtroom wins to systemic advocacy: compulsory tikanga courses, professional conduct reforms, equity initiatives.
Her vault from No. 44 to No. 18 reflects KC elevation plus sustained national profile. She’s powerful because she’s changing what the profession looks like, not just who practices law.
