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. 40 A recent profile win in the te Pati Maori internicine war where he achieve dht etemporary reappointment of excommunicated TPM MP Mariameno Kapa Kingi saw Mike Colson KC in the news for a rather more public dispute than many he handles. Appointed KC in 2021 after 16 years as
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
LawFuel Power List 2025 No. 50 Low profile but a LawFuel List regular, Ann Brennan leads MBIE’s 70+ legal team including 64 lawyers organized into four specialized teams, having played crucial roles in significant projects such as developing legislation for Outer Space and High-Altitude Activities, supporting earthquake response, handling major government initiatives. She transformed MBIE’s
LawFuel Power List 2025 No. 47 Recognized as one of NZ’s leading barristers with expertise in private wealth and commercial disputes, Jeremy Johnson also debuted on the Power List in 2024. His appointment to the Advisory Board of the International Trust Arbitration Organisation and King’s Service Medal in 2025 cement his rising international influence. Johnson’s
LawFuel Power List 2025 No. 45 Doyen, mentor, legend – they all apply to Jim Farmer KC who remains on the List even if there is some deserved slowing of case histories. Chambers Asia-Pacific 2025 ranks Farmer as “Senior Statesperson,” describing him as “widely regarded as one of NZ’s pre-eminent commercial litigators, vastly experienced in
