The Law Association of New Zealand has marked International Women’s Day 2026 with a special breakfast event aligned with this year’s global theme, Give to Gain.

The theme encourages reflection on how the contribution of time, expertise, opportunity and voice can create enduring benefits for individuals, organisations and the legal profession. The principle that leadership is strengthened when it is shared and not diminished, shaped the morning’s programme and discussion.

The event opened with a welcome address from Vice-President of The Law Association, Julie-Anne Kincade KC, who acknowledged the many women who contribute to the profession through mentoring, advocacy, committee work and leadership. She said that those contributions shaped not only today’s profession but the pathways available to the next generation.
The keynote address was delivered by Natalie Walker, Crown Solicitor for Manukau and director of Kayes Fletcher Walker (KFW). Her address touched on both the history of women in law in New Zealand and the profession’s current position.

International Women’s Day has been marked since 1911. Natalie acknowledged the generations of women in law who faced overt hostility or reluctant tolerance in order to enter and remain in the profession. Early women lawyers understood they needed to be “more than ordinarily gifted” simply to have their ability recognised, not only for their own careers but for the women who would follow.
Against that backdrop, she said, the statistics show significant progress.

In 2023, 66 percent of new admissions to the profession were women. Women now make up 56 percent of the legal profession overall, and 64 percent of lawyers with up to seven years’ post-qualification experience.
Natalie Walker explained to guests that when she dug deeper into the statistics, it showed just how much things had changed. She said that eight out of ten heads of bench are now women. Seven out of ten permanent judges of the Court of Appeal are women. Of 178 District Court judges, 93 are women. Five out of six law school deans are women, including the first Māori dean appointed at AUT in 2021 and the first Pacific woman dean appointed at Waikato in 2024. Nine of the seventeen Crown Solicitor warrants are now held by women, compared with four in 2015.

These figures represent a substantial shift in representation across the judiciary, academia and public service leadership.

At the same time, Natalie Walker noted that equality at senior level remains incomplete. Women are not yet represented equally at the inner bar, at partner level in large firms, or as lead counsel in significant higher court litigation. She said, “visibility and access to high-profile work continues to matter.”

The “Give to Gain” theme was also explored through the growth story of KFW since its appointment as Crown Solicitor for Manukau in 2015. Over the past decade, the firm has managed more than 8,000 Crown prosecutions involving jury trials, approximately 1,000 High Court appeals and close to 300 Court of Appeal appeals. It has grown from a staff of just four to around seventy.

Natalie described an intentional approach to building a workplace that reflects the community it serves. Today, more than two thirds of KFW staff are women, half of senior prosecutors leading the most serious trials are women and all senior managers are women. The firm’s culture prioritises diversity, collaboration and opportunity. The principle is clear: when opportunity is given deliberately and equitably, the profession gains strength and perspective.

Event sponsor Craigs Investment Partners reinforced the theme through the lens of financial confidence. Investment adviser Gretchen Williamson encouraged attendees to understand their risk comfort zones, invest with purpose and start open conversations about money. Sharing knowledge builds confidence and expands opportunity.

The facilitated discussion, chaired by The Law Association Council member Jacque Lethbridge, explored practical and achievable strategies to enhance leadership pathways and support sustainable change for women in law. The conversation addressed wellbeing, support networks and the shared responsibility of colleagues, including male colleagues, in accelerating progress.

The breakfast concluded with an opportunity for networking, providing a chance for legal professionals to connect and continue thoughtful discussion in a collegial setting.

In marking International Women’s Day 2026, The Law Association reaffirmed that when women give their time, expertise and voice, the profession gains.