LawFuel Power List No. 4 Over 600 cases resulting in High Court judgments. That’s not a typo, Hodder’s been appearing in New Zealand’s senior courts since 1980, racking up victories and precedents with the relentlessness of a metronome. His Three Waters work (representing Timaru, Waimakariri, and Whangarei councils) put him at the intersection of local
LawFuel Power List 2025 No. 3 Our highest-ranking independent lawyer on the List and now something of a staple is former Solicitor-General (2012-2016) who has become New Zealand’s go-to independent investigator for scandals too sensitive for the usual suspects. His 2025 workload included the Public Service Commission’s personal information protection probe (finalized May 2025) and
Cuncannon launched her eponymous plaintiff litigation firm in 2024 after a decade as Meredith Connell partner, betting New Zealand was ready for American-style class action specialists. The move shows the evolution of the plaintiff bar, litigation funding and class actions as a growth market. The firm establishment gamble paid off with Chambers ranking her in
LawFuel Power List 2025 No. 2 Kitteridge’s August 2025 appointment as Professor of Practice at Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government wasn’t just a plum academic gig—it was a coronation. The Deputy Public Service Commissioner role already gave her the ear of every minister who matters; Oxford gives her global heft. Her CV reads like New
LawFuel Power List 2025 No. 1 Una Jagose may be stepping down in February, but she clings to the top spot on the LawFuel Power List by continued influence in the top law role. It was not the easiest year. She had already faced issues with her late-2024 prosecution guidelines suggesting ethnicity might factor into
December 10, 2025. Buchalter is pleased to announce that Elizabeth Glasgow and Jennifer Van Duzer have joined the firm’s Los Angeles office as Shareholders. Glasgow will serve as the national Co-Chair of the firm’s Trusts and Estates group, representing the estate planning practice. She will serve in the role along with current Chair, Gordon Stuart, representing
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Sigrid McCawley: The Lawyer Who Made the Untouchables Touchable Why She’s Our 2025 Lawyer of the Year Sonia Hickey, LawFuel contributing writer In a legal landscape where justice often moves at glacial speed, Sigrid McCawley is the wrecking ball nobody saw coming. The power lawyer who takes on the most powerful fortresses is LawFuel’s US
Tom Borman, LawFuel contributor New Zealand legal tech doesn’t often muscle its way into the global big leagues. LawVu just did with a major acquisition moving the business firmly into the global lawtech firmament. The Tauranga-based legal AI workspace company has acquired Belgian contract automation specialist ClauseBase, rebranding it as LawVu Draft, and in the
LawVu Hits $400m Valuation and Goes Full Speed on Legal AI Read More »
Tauranga, New Zealand — 18 December, 2025 — LawVu, the leading global legal workspace for in-house legal teams, today announced the acquisition of ClauseBase, a pioneer in intelligent contract review, drafting, and automation, which will be rebranded to LawVu Draft. Also announced is the launch of LawVu Lens, an AI-powered contract analysis engine built directly into
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Russell McVeagh is delighted to recognise six outstanding lawyers who have been promoted to Special Counsel and Senior Associate respectively, effective 1 December, across Litigation, Banking and Finance, Government, Competition and Regulation, Corporate Advisory, Property & Real Estate and Private Client practice areas. Special Counsel promotions: Senior Associate promotions: In addition, the firm recently welcomed two
NZ Law – Russell McVeagh Announces Senior Legal Appointments Read More »
