The head of AJ Park's litigation and dispute resolution group encourages young lawyers to find their passion
When NZ Lawyer last chatted with Thomas Huthwaite in 2014, he was a barrister and solicitor at Baldwins who loved the idea of “walking meetings” and less time spent in air conditioning. Ten years on, we caught up with the man who has become the practice group lead of AJ Park’s litigation and dispute resolution team; in this June interview, Huthwaite tells us how he felt about Baldwins’ acquisition by its rival, and why young lawyers should embrace their uniqueness.
I remember speaking with you in 2014, which was the last year of several in which Kim Dotcom dominated the intellectual property (IP) limelight in New Zealand. Fast forward to late 2020 and the entire world was grappling with COVID-19 and remote working. By then, I was leading the Baldwins litigation team in Wellington. When the acquisition of Baldwins by AJ Park was announced, there were a lot of emotions at play.
Baldwins had been around since 1896, was significant to the history of IP in New Zealand, and my career with them spanned 10 years. I’d seen a lot of change to Baldwins and the industry over that time. However, AJ Park was pulling away as the clear industry leader in New Zealand, and I was therefore excited to be joining a larger, faster-paced litigation and commercial group, with a remarkable client base. And now, I can’t imagine it having turned out any other way.
Although Baldwins and AJ Park had been major competitors for around 120 years, it was incredible to see how seamlessly the litigation practices combined. I suppose we already knew each other so well that it was a bit like forming an ‘all-stars’ sports team from previously competing clubs.
My principal promotion was a natural progression, but the practice group lead role was really what I’d been looking for, being closer to the traditional ‘partnership’ role. It has brought me to the table of business and leadership discussions at AJ Park. Being a thought leader and people person, I’m not only interested in and responsible for driving the results for each individual matter I’m involved in, but also the future of the business and our people.
It's the same reason I’ve been involved with the executive committees of our industry bodies like IPSANZ and NZIPA: I am truly passionate about IP, our profession, and the role of our people. IP attracts tremendously talented people, and I see it as a real privilege to be leading them into the future.
Whatever your career choice, it’s going to be a significant part of your life for the foreseeable future. If you subscribe to the ‘10,000 hour’ rule, you’re in the first hours of your journey towards excellence. So, the first part of my advice is to find an area of the law that you’re passionate about and want to dedicate your time to. I was fortunate to find my calling in IP litigation early in my career, and I have never wanted for anything else. But I’ve seen other law graduates and friends toil away and become ground down by legal practices they don’t have passion for.
Related to that, embrace who you are. There seems to be a sense among young lawyers that you must ‘fit a certain mould’ to practice law. (I probably used to think that too!) But your personality, your background, your hobbies and interests, and your unique view and approach to any given issue, are all potential assets to your practice of the law and your place in the profession. While there are of course specific skills, responsibilities, etc. to be learned, I encourage you to maintain your sense of identity in becoming the practitioner you want to be.
