Career Experience
Legal Career:
- Chair, Criminal Law Committee of the International Bar Association
- Previous President of the Criminal Bar Association of NZ
- Member Crown Solicitor's Panel – Auckland,1990-1996
Key Achievements:
- Second woman in NZ to open a law practice, in 1986
- As President of the Criminal Bar Association of NZ made significant progress for the association to be recognised as a consultative organisation with NZLS, ADLS, NZBA, Courts Consultative Committee, the Profession and the Government.
- Raised the media and public profile of the Criminal Bar Association of New Zealand
- Achieved the acceptance by Courts Department of the Odyssey Programme as an Alternative to Prison.
- Actively involved in Institution of Innovative Treatment Programmes including Parent Programmes, Gambling Recovery Programme
- Inaugural Board member, Business Development Board (Chamber of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Trade & Development)
- Inaugural Executive Committee Member, Manukau Chamber of Commerce
- Board Member and later Deputy Chairperson, Odyssey House Trust Inc
Continuing Legal Education:
- Member of Department of Justice Workshop "Achieving Excellence in Criminal Caseflow Management", - Wellington, May 1995
- Member of Law Commission Workshop, Wellington "Police Powers for Detention and Questioning of Suspects of Crime", October 1992
- Faculty Member, New Zealand Law Society Litigation Skills Programme
- Faculty Member, Auckland District Law Society Litigation Skills Programmes (various) since 1993
Legal Professional Positions:
- Senior Magistrate of the Magistrates Court of Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands (appointed 2005)
- Member International Bar Association since 1993
- Chair, Section of Legal Practice, International Bar Association
- New Zealand Law Society Representative Criminal Practice Committee 1996-2000
- Legal Aid Assignments - authorised to act in all categories of Legal Aid Scheme since 1984
- Inaugural Youth Advocate of the Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989
- Executive Member, Criminal Bar Association of New Zealand Inc. 1986-1995
- President, Criminal Bar Association of New Zealand Inc. 1992-1994
- Inaugural Vice-President Youth Justice Association of New Zealand 1990-1994:
Business & Community Roles:
- Mentor for newly qualified barristers to enable them to gain experience for future independent barrister roles, since 1992
- Deputy Chairperson, Odyssey House Trust Inc. 1992-1994
- Vice-president, Zonta International (Auckland) 1990-1991
- Charter Member, The Freedom Foundation, Amnesty International New Zealand Inc. 1995-1998
- Founding Member of The Puriri Foundation Trust (established to co-ordinate a residential programme for Women offenders and their children as an alternative to prison) 1995-1997