LawFuel Power List 2025 No.24 Nicholson’s September 2025 KC appointment recognized her role as Chief Parliamentary Counsel and CEO of the Parliamentary Counsel Office—where, as the document notes, “drafting is where power hides.” Every piece of legislation passes through her office. That’s not hyperbole—it’s structural reality. From the Emissions Trading Scheme to health reforms to […]
LawFuel Power List 2005 Former Fonterra General Counsel Cordner is inaugural Chief Legal Counsel for Te Whatu Ora (Health New Zealand), consolidating 20 former District Health Boards into a single entity under the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act. His ability to handle large-scale organizational structures positions him at the forefront of NZ’s most ambitious health
LawFuel Power List 2015 No. 36 Floyd is General Counsel at Fonterra since 2023, navigating challenges including evolving dairy regulations, international trade barriers, sustainability initiatives, on-farm profitability issues, and processor competition for milk supply. She steers legal strategy for a $24 billion company through the Dairy Industry Restructuring Amendment Bill and global market dynamics affecting
LawFuel Power List 2025 No. 37 Blackmore has carved a niche in public sector transactional matters, providing counsel to Treasury, state-owned enterprises, and Crown entities. Recent work includes advising Z Energy through its $2 billion Ampol takeover, advising Treasury on Air New Zealand’s $2.2 billion recapitalization, and assisting NZ Post in acquiring Fliway Group. His
LawFuel Power List 2025 No. 38 LawFuel’s “Lawyer of the Year” (2023), Coates moved to Thorndon Chambers in September 2024 after over a decade as Kāhui Legal partner. She received the Te Pae Tata Award (2023) for work on Ellis v R [2020] NZSC 89—the landmark and controversial Supreme Court case recognizing posthumous legal proceedings
LawFuel Power List 2025 No. 25 Pre-eminent in construction and infrastructure law Christine Meechan KC had a background in insurance litigation in London before becoming a partner at Bell Gully and building a substantial civil litigation practice. Her expertise spans complex construction disputes, insurance, indemnity, engineering contracts, and infrastructure projects – sectors that are frequently
LawFuel Power List 2025 No. 39 Appointed KC in 2025, Ladd joined Shortland Chambers in 2021 from Bell Gully senior partnership (admitted 1995, Chicago LLM 2000). His broad regulatory/commercial litigation practice focuses on competition law, financial regulation (CCCFA, Financial Markets Conduct Act), insurance law, construction disputes, with 25+ years appearing before all courts and in
LawFuel Power List 2025 No. 41 Perennial power lister Chen continues exerting influence as chair of the Superdiversity Institute and president of NZ Asian Lawyers, recently establishing the Mai Chen Legal Innovation Award at Otago University to encourage innovative thinking. Having established her eponymous firm before ‘sacking herself’ and becoming a barrister, she serves as
LawFuel Power List 2025 No. 44 Priest has established herself as one of NZ’s leading criminal lawyers, joining the Power List in 2024, with 20+ years’ experience handling serious violence, sexual offenses, complex drug crimes, actively contributing to legal education and speaking at events. Her co-founding of “The Good Lawyer”—a non-profit providing resources to prisoners—demonstrates
LawFuel Power List 2025 No 46 Ian Beaumont debuted on the Power List last year and is a Russell McVeagh Board member and Corporate Advisory Group partner specializing in M&A, equity capital markets, joint ventures, corporate advisory, with experience in NZ and the US contributing to award-winning transactions. As one of the younger dealmakers inheriting
