Ngā Kaiwhakahaere

Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Tūhourangi, Tūhoe, Te Whānau a Apanui.

Natalie is currently a Partner at Kāhui Legal. Prior to joining Kāhui Legal Natalie worked for an iwi organisation, two of New Zealand’s large national law firms, an international human rights organisation and the Auckland University Faculty of Law.

Natalie holds honours degrees in Law and Arts (Māori Studies) from the University of Otago. In 2011 Natalie received the Fulbright Nga Pae o te Māramatanga graduate award, the New Zealand Law Foundation Ethel Benjamin Scholarship and a Ngārimu VC and 28th (Maori) Battalion Memorial Masters Scholarship. These awards allowed Natalie to obtain a LLM (Masters of Law) from Harvard University. After completing her masters Natalie returned to New Zealand where she worked as a Law Lecturer at the University of Auckland for two years teaching undergraduate courses at all levels.

At Kāhui Legal, Natalie provides advice to clients on public law, commercial matters, the law relating to trusts, Maori land law and Maori, human and indigenous rights. Natalie has assisted on litigation matters ranging from the Maori Land Court through to the Supreme Court.

Waikato, Ngāti Kahu (Te Paatu).

Ngāti Kahungunu.

Ngāti Raukawa ki Wharepuhunga, Te Pae o Raukawa, Ngāti Paretekawa o Ngāti Maniapoto

Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Whakaue and Ngāti Pakeha

Following roles with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Wellington/Tokyo) and the Department of Conservation (Whangārei/Wellington) Paula returned home to Whangārei in 2014 where she worked in various voluntary community roles and project managed Waitangi Tribunal claims for Whangārei hapu.

In 2012 Paula completed a Bachelor of Mātauranga Māori with Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi and in 2016 completed her professional legal studies.

Paula was admitted to the bar in the Whangārei High Court in June 2017 and is delighted to be finally practicing law. A member of the Litigation team, Paula has a particular interest in employment, and ngā take Māori. She also volunteers as a mentor with I Have A Dream Charitable Trust working with tamariki and rangatahi in the communities of Tikipunga and Otangarei.

Solicitor at Kayes Fletcher Walker.

Ngati Whitikaupeka.

Ngāti Porou.

Ngā Puhi, Ngati Tukorehe, Ngai Te Rangi.

Melissa is a solicitor working in Holland Beckett Law’s Property and Civil Litigation Team.

Melissa grew up primarily in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, in Te Teko and completed her degree at the University of Waikato. Melissa previously spent 14 years as a Primary School Teacher. After her admission to the Bar she became a Deputy Registrar/Court Taker in the Criminal Team at Rotorua District Court. She specialises Māori land law, Trusts and civil litigation.

Outside work Melissa is actively involved in tennis and is a member of the Rotorua Tennis Club. She joined Arawa Toastmasters Club in 2018. Melissa’s whakapapa connections are with Mataatua, Te Arawa and Tainui.

Echo (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Heretaunga, Pākehā) is a criminal litigation lawyer with experience as prosecutor and defence counsel, as well as in Inquiry work and disciplinary decisionmaking. As a speaker of te reo Māori, Echo embraces tikanga Māori and is particularly interested in tikanga applications as an alternative to mainstream conflict resolution. She holds positions on the leadership committee of Te Matakahi (the Defence Lawyers’ Association of NZ) and the Complaints Assessment Committee Panel for the Real Estate Authority. She is also one of the co-convenors for the THRMoA Criminal Law Reform Subcomittee.

Lawyer, Tairāwhiti Community Law Centre.

Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga.

Ngāti Porou (Te Whānau a Putaanga), Rakaipaaka, Ngāti Kahungunu.

Tara is a Partner at Kāhui Legal.

Holding a conjoint degree in Law and Arts (double major in English and History) and a First Class Honours degree in History from the University of Auckland, Tara was admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the High Court in 2018.

She has assisted on litigation matters ranging from the Waitangi Tribunal, Māori Land Court through to the Supreme Court. She specialises in issues relating to the Treaty of Waitangi, including historical Treaty claims and Treaty of Waitangi settlements. She previously worked at the Waitangi Tribunal as a Research Analyst and then as Deputy Registrar.

Alex is of Ngāi Tahu descent. He currently works as an Employed Barrister at Walker Street Chambers in Christchurch. Prior to this he has worked as a Deputy Registrar, Probation Officer, at the Public Defence Service and as a solicitor in a private firm. Alex’s main area of practice is in criminal law, although he has acted in civil, employment and Māori Land Court matters previously. He completed his LLB at the University of Auckland, and later completed his LLM at AUT specialising in Criminal Law.

He also volunteers with New Zealand Cadets Forces, becoming a commissioned officer in 2015, where most recently he was in command of Tāmaki Cadet Unit in Otahuhu. Outside of mahi, Alex enjoys getting outdoors doing hiking, tramping, and archery.

Rōia/Solicitor at Gallaway Cook Allan Lawyers.

Ngāpuhi. Annelise is currently a Pou Ture │ Solicitor at Whāia Legal. Prior to her current role, Annelise worked as a Research Counsel in the Chief Judge’s Chambers at Te Kooti Whenua Māori (Māori Land Court). Annelise’s experience is in Māori Land and Te Tiriti o Waitangi legal issues, general commercial matters, resource management and Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act litigation. Annelise is passionate about reclaiming her reo, and in 2019 attended Te Wānanga Takiura o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa. She has also completed Te Aupikitanga ki te Reo Kairangi and Te Pīnakitanga ki te Te Reo Kairangi with Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.

Ngāpuhi, Ngai Te Rangi

Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Rarawa.

Ngāpuhi, Ngāitai, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu

Jimmy is studying towards an LLB and Bachelor of Arts (majoring in Political Science with a minor in International Relations) at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington.

In 2023 he served as Tumuaki Tāne of Ngā Rangahautira (Victoria University of Wellington Māori Law Students Association) and on the Executive of the Victoria University of Wellington Law Students’ Society (VUWLSS). Jimmy is also currently the President of the Rongotai College Old Boys’ Association, Co-President of the Victoria University of Wellington Pasifika Law Students’ Society, and the New Zealand Law Students’ Association Legal Client Interviewing Champion.