The New Zealand Bar Association | Ngā Ahorangi Motuhake o te Ture (NZBA) is a voluntary organisation for barristers. We provide our member barristers with training, collegial events, networking opportunities, advice about practising at the bar and member benefits.
- We are not the regulator for the legal profession. All questions about lawyers' performance and complaints should be directed to the New Zealand Law Society.
- We also do not provide legal advice or referrals to lawyers. If you want to know more about legal representation, visit this page.
We are a non-profit incorporated society. Under our Rules of Association, the general functions of the NZBA are to:
- promote and encourage a strong and independent bar;
- promote the interests of barristers and the separate independent bar, and the interests of the public in relation to legal representation and the operation of the judicial system generally;
- preserve and maintain the independence and integrity of barristers;
- promote and encourage a high standard of ethical conduct amongst barristers;
- preserve and maintain the independence and integrity of the judiciary;
- promote and encourage a high standard of legal representation and advocacy;
- promote opportunities for the acquisition and dissemination of knowledge of the law, legal procedure, advocacy, and the conduct of litigation;
- promote improved access to the courts and to justice for all persons;
- assist in and promote the reform of the law and legal procedure;
- discourage and eliminate any form of discrimination among or against barristers of the separate independent bar;
- provide assistance and encouragement to barristers at the commencement of their practice at the separate independent bar;
- provide means for the amicable and expeditious settlement of differences between barristers, and between barristers and solicitors.
The Council
Council Meeting Dates 2025
- 20 March: in-person - Auckland
- 12 June: online
- 4 September: in-person - Auckland
- 2 October: online
- 27 November: in-person (location TBA)
Council Members
1 October 2023 - 30 September 2025
| President | Paul David KC | Auckland |
| Past President | Maria Dew KC | Auckland |
| Council Members | Kellie Arthur (Vice President) | Auckland |
| John Billington KC | Auckland | |
| Gowan Duff | Auckland | |
| Sarah Jerebine | Auckland | |
| Iswari (Ish) Jayanandan | Auckland | |
| Stephen Layburn | Auckland | |
| Rachael Reed KC | Auckland | |
| Phillip Cornegé | Waikato/BOP | |
| Genevieve Haszard (Vice President) | Waikato/BOP | |
| Tiho Mijatov (Vice President) | Wellington | |
| Victoria Casey KC | Wellington | |
| Tim Stephens KC | Wellington | |
| Richard Raymond KC (Vice President) | Canterbury | |
| Richard McGuire (Associate) | Canterbury | |
| Savanna Gaskell | Otago/Southland |
International Affiliations
The New Zealand Bar Association | Ngā Ahorangi Motuhake o te Ture holds memberships with the following organistions:
The International Bar Association and it's Bar Issues Commission, which supports the interests of the IBA’s member organisations. This includes arranging events to discuss issues that affect the legal profession globally; working groups that develop resources and guidelines for bar associations and a Policy Committee advising IBA Council on key IBA resolutions and statements.
More Information
The International Council of Advocates and Barristers (ICAB). The New Zealand Bar Association | Ngā Ahorangi Motuhake o te Ture is a signatory of the Edinburgh Declaration, which contains a series of resolutions defending the independence of the courts and the legal profession across the world.
The Australasian Institute of Judicial Administration. The AIJA is a research and educational institute which has been in existence since 1976.