At least 31 people from the legal profession have enrolled to stand for Parliament for the general election on 23 September, according to the
New Zealand Law Society.
The lawyers in the election race are among a total of 534 candidates from 16 registered political parties.
Lawyers running under the National party include Christopher Finlayson, Amy Adams,
Judith Collins, Simon Bridges, Chris Bishop, Sarah Dowie, Chris Penk, Harete Hipango, and Paulo Garcia.
A Queen’s Counsel, Finlayson is the Attorney-General in the outgoing Parliament. He is standing in Rongotai. Adams was previously the minister of justice and minister of courts. She is looking to again represent Selwyn. Collins was the minister of revenue and the MP for Papakura in Auckland.
Bridges, who was the transport minister, is standing in Tauranga. Bishop is a list MP standing for Hutt South. Dowie represents Invercargill, while Penk is standing in Helensville. Hipango will contest the Whanganui electorate, and Garcia is contesting New Lynn in Auckland.
Lawyers in the Labour party include Andrew Little, David Parker, Raymond Huo, Willow-Jean Prime, Kiri Allan, Marja Lubeck, Angie Warren-Clark, Helen White, Steph Lewis, Duncan Webb, Jin An, Tony Savage, Brooke Loader, Ben Sanford, and Sam McDonald.
Little was an employment lawyer for the Engineers Union. Parker was elected to Parliament as Labour MP for Otago in 2002. Huo obtained an LLB from the
University of Auckland and practised in Auckland at Brookfields and at
Hesketh Henry. Prime has worked in indigenous issues and treaty claims and is standing for Northland.
Allan is a commercial lawyer and business consultant in Rotorua, contesting East Coast. Lubeck works in industrial law and workplace negotiation and is standing for Rodney. Warren-Clark is contesting Bay of Plenty, while White, a barrister sole specialising in employment law, is standing for Auckland Central. Lewis is contesting Whanganui; Webb is standing for Christchurch Central; An is standing in Upper Harbour.
Savage is currently practising in Whangarei, where he is standing. Loader, a litigation lawyer specialising in Treaty and Maori issues, is contesting Waikato. Sanford is standing for Rotorua, while McDonald is a criminal lawyer and teacher contesting Tamaki.
Golriz Ghahraman in Te Atatu, Metiria Turei in Te Tai Tonga, Teall Crossen in Rongotai, and Rochelle Surendran in Invercargill are the lawyers running for the Greens.
New Zealand First is fielding Winston Peters, who seeks to defend his Northland electorate, and Denis O’Rourke, who is standing in Port Hills. Ted Faleauto Johnston, a barrister sole in Manukau, is standing in Manukau East for TOP. Shan Ng, a commercial lawyer, is contesting Mana for ACT.
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