Tauranga law firms to the fore in NZ awards

Western Bay law firms shone at the 2011 New Zealand Law Awards held in Auckland last night.

Cooney Lees Morgan won the ASB Mid-size Law Firm of the Year Award, and was also named a runner-up in the Resource Management and Environmental Law and LexisNexis Public Law categories, and a finalist in the Niche Recruiting Specialists Regional/Suburban Law Firm of the Year Award.

The firm was also lauded as a finalist in the College of Law Community Service in Law (Group) category.

Denise Arnold, a partner in Tauranga firm Lyon O'Neale Arnold, won the College of Law Community Service in Law Award (individual) for work with the Cambodia Charitable Trust.

The award honours those who have contributed pro bono or not-for-profit legal advice or services to community organisations, or who have applied their legal skills to voluntary humanitarian work.

The judging panel said Ms Arnold was "a champion of young girls and women in Cambodia, working to bring them education and work experience".

Ms Arnold, who established the trust, has also worked with lawyers in Cambodia to help give them a voice within the international legal community and to enforce change.

Specialist intellectual property lawyers James & Wells, which has an office in Tauranga, won the Canon Intellectual Property Law Award.

Tauranga-based barrister Kate Barry-Piceno was also a runner-up for the Resource Management and Environmental Law, Tauranga firm Sharp Tudhope was a runner-up for the Hays Employment Law Award, and Tauranga firm Mackenzie Elvin was a finalist in the Family Law Award.