For Anna Buchly, "success is all about people"
Last month, the achievements of the Australasian legal profession were celebrated at the 2023 Australasian Law Awards. Big names in the New Zealand legal industry took home trophies for their contributions to the profession – one of whom was Bell Gully partner Anna Buchly, who was crowned NZ Dealmaker of the Year.
In addition to being a winner, however, Buchly also had the privilege of joining the esteemed panel of awards judges this year, lending her experience and expertise in the field to help determine the winners of certain categories. In this interview, Buchly talks what the judging experience was like, her thoughts on the legal talent in ANZ today, and exciting trends in law.
What was the experience of judging the awards like for you?
It has been great to be part of the Australasian Law Awards’ judging panel, and to have seen first-hand the complexity of transactions and quality of legal advice provided. It has also been great to see the initiatives and programmes that firms are implementing to continue to develop and challenge the legal industry.
What did you think of the current calibre of nominees this year?
As always, a great calibre of nominees. It’s fantastic to celebrate the changemakers of today and to inspire the future leaders of the legal industry by awarding the young talent within Australia and New Zealand. The calibre of nominees seems to improve each year.
Seeing the current crop of legal talent across both Australia and NZ, what’s your outlook on what the legal profession will look like in the near future?
It’s encouraging to see how Australasian lawyers are nimble and fully equipped to
collaborate with international counterparts and deliver excellent client service – all of which speaks to a can-do attitude. It’s also encouraging to see the growing diversity across the profession – but we need to keep challenging ourselves to ensure we don’t lose momentum.
What are some trends you’re observing in the field of law that are especially exciting for you?
Success is all about people and it is important for us to recognise our industry’s best through avenues like the Australasian Law Awards.
Technology continues to play a key part in our role as lawyers, and it will be fascinating to see how the legal profession evolves with the emergence of AI technology, and ultimately what that means for the role of a lawyer.
