LawFuel Power List 2025
No. 15
The former Attorney-General (2008-2016) remains New Zealand’s pre-eminent Treaty of Waitangi and constitutional lawyer. His 2025 work included leading Hawke’s Bay councils’ negotiations with government over Cyclone Gabrielle recovery and representing former Labour ministers called before the Covid Royal Commission (they refused attendance; Finlayson provided cover).
His memoir, Yes, Minister: An Insider’s Account of the John Key Years (2022), offers candid insights into governance.
As architect of Treaty settlements, he understands both legal frameworks and political realities. His cultural stewardship roles (NZ Symphony Orchestra board) extend influence beyond law. During the ACT Party’s Treaty Principles Bill tensions, Finlayson’s commentary carried weight: he knows the Treaty file better than almost anyone alive. At No. 15, his power is historical and current.
