Christian Lawyers Conference 2024
September 20th 2024
Equippers Church Manukau, Auckland
Our gathering for the 2024 conference had more than 100 lawyers and law students meeting together in Auckland. It was a rich time of connecting, reflection, challenges, prayer together and worship.
Themes explored are set out below beside the descriptions of the speakers but included Wellbeing, the implications of technological advances, Te Ao Māori, the Abuse in Care report, the work of Ethos and reflections on the journey.
Look at the Resources tab for the video of the session with Emily Morrow on Wellbeing.
Some feedback includes
“I really enjoyed getting to think more about the overlap between tikanga and Christian values and how we can be implementing them into our practice”
“The worship leading and MCing were outstanding. Steven’s leadership and the showcasing of other luminaries of faith and the profession were inspiring!”
“I've come from a rather isolated view of being a lawyer and connecting with like-minded people with the same purpose was encouraging. Loved starting and ending with worship too. SUCH an inspiring conference.”
“Having praise and worship with people within the legal profession gives an encouraging sense that there are people in the same mission.”
“I enjoyed connecting with different people during the breaks. I felt just generally really encouraged by being with other Christians in the field.”
A short reflection was provided by Steven Moe in the form of a book. You can contact him for a copy at stevenmoe@parryfield.com
He Whakapono i Te Ao Hurihuri
Faith in an Ever Changing World
An opportunity to connect with Christian lawyers from across New Zealand, to be inspired in your faith and vocation, and be challenged to play the part God has given you.
It is a continuation of the previous events held between 2017-2019 which often gathered 130+ lawyers. Our day-long conference was a time for connections, encouragement and learning from a variety of speakers and panels.
Event Speakers
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Judith Bullin
Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in the Care of Faith-based Institutions
Judith Bullin is a partner at Parry Field Lawyers in Christchurch. Judith’s practice is varied within the Commercial and Property space with a particular interest in Community Housing, Construction Law and latterly advising organisations in relation to claims of historical abuse. Judith finds it a privilege to walk alongside entities navigating these issues.
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Alex Penk
CEO Ethos
Overview of Ethos, a new initiative for lawyersAlex has a broad range of experience in law, government relations, communications, strategy, and governance. After working in litigation at one of New Zealand’s largest law firms, he spent fourteen years at a public policy think tank, half of them as CEO, before working as a strategy consultant for a diverse client base across the commercial and for-purpose sectors. He has served on several non-profit boards. Alex has undergraduate degrees in law and science from the University of Auckland, a Master of Law from Cambridge University, and in 2016 he was a Visiting Fellow at Oxford University’s McDonald Centre for Theology, Ethics and Public Life
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Emily Morrow
Executive Consultant for Legal Professionals
Emily Morrow, a former managing partner at a large law firm, now works as a consultant to lawyers and law firms across New Zealand providing coaching, training and retreat design and facilitation services. Her in-depth knowledge of the business of law, combined with her deep understanding of human dynamics, come from extensive experience as a practicing lawyer and chair of a major bank board. She is currently obtaining an MA degree in counselling at the University of Auckland (doing her practicum at the Windsor Park Baptist Church Counselling Centre), is a frequent contributor to LawTalk and LawNews, has been the keynote speaker at numerous professional conferences and teaches the “People Dimension / Management” segment of the NZLS Stepping Up programme.
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Geremy Hema
Ngāti Paoa, Te Rarawa
Geremy Hema B.Sc, LLB, Te Tohu Mihinagre, works at Waipapa Taumata Rau – The University of Auckland as the Poutiaki Rangahau Māori Māori Research and Data Sovereignty Steward, in the Pro Vice Chancellor Māori Office. Through his father Geremy affiliates strongly with Motuti, Hokianga. He was a long time driver for the late Pā Henare Tate PhD. Geremy is a proud tauira tawhito of Hato Pētera College. Geremy has worked in local government, Chapman Tripp (Te Waka Ture), and the University of Auckland Law School. Geremy was raised Katorika (Catholic), before drifting to his paternal grandfather’s hāhi, Te Hāhi Mihingare (The Anglican Church). While still Catholic, Geremy served as a katekita Māori (Māori catechists). He served for 12 years in Te Pīhopatanga o Te Tai Tokerau as a licensed Kaikarakia (Lay Minister). He currently serves as a Liturgist at Holy Trinity Cathedral, Parnell. And is part of the Diocesan Training Programme for those discerning a call to ordained life and ministry.
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Paula J. Wilson
Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Pakeha, Ngāti Whakaue
Paula practices law at Henderson Reeves, Whangārei specialising in ngā take Māori/Māori issues and whenua Māori/Māori Land. A recently licensed kaikarakia/liturgical assistant in the Hāhi Mihingare/Māori Anglican Church, Paula hopes to continue studying and learning with the church.
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Lisa Samusamuvodre
Lisa practices at Matariki Chambers, Manukau, Auckland. She is Māori (Ngāpuhi/ Ngāti Pāoa) and Fijian (Namotomoto, Nadi). Lisa was born in Fiji but spent her formative years in Porirua and Dunedin. A graduate of Otago University, Lisa was admitted to the Bar in NZ and Fiji in 1999. She now specialises in family law and is focussed on encouraging young Māori and Pasifika lawyers into the family law sphere. Outside of work, Lisa holds a number of community governance & administrative roles and loves her down time in Russell, Bay of Islands.
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Steven Moe
Steven Moe is a Partner at Parry Field Lawyers with a focus on ‘for purpose’ groups and helped to start the first Christian Lawyers Conferences back in 2017. He has worked as a lawyer for 20 years including 11 years overseas based in Tokyo, London and Sydney, and since 2016 has been based back in Aotearoa. Steven hosts seeds podcast which has a focus on people doing inspiring things which has 394 episodes and another on governance for the IOD called Board Matters.
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Joshua Yuvaraj
Auckland Law School, Senior Lecturer
Joshua has been a member of the University of Auckland Faculty of Law since 2022. He teaches contract, copyright and privacy law courses for both undergraduate and postgraduate law degrees. His research focuses on intellectual property and emerging technologies, particularly generative artificial intelligence and its implications for creativity and cultural production.
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Cheri-Lee Atkinson
Cheri-Lee has whakapapa to Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Koata, Kai Tahu, Ngāti Mutunga, and Ngāti Tama. She is Senior Legal Advisor with the iwi Waikato-Tainui, in their Governance and Legal team.
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Emily Hockly
Chief Legal Officer at Oranga Tamariki
Living by faith in Government, an in-house lawyer perspective
Emily Hockly is a career public servant and a life-long Christian. Growing up she witnessed her parents follow God’s call to Albania and experienced Missionary-kid life as a teenager. She studied law at Canterbury with the hope of joining MFAT and no intention of becoming a lawyer but has found herself practising law in government for most of her career. She is married to Hayden, has two beautiful children, and lives and worships in the St Michaels Kelburn parish of Wellington. Emily is passionate about God in the everyday and living in Christian vocation.
