Legal appeal holds sway for young couple admitted to bar

MOMENT TO TREASURE: Drew Buckley and Gabrielle Thompson are all smiles after they were admitted as barristers and solicitors in the High Court at Whangarei yesterday.

Gabrielle Thompson's fear of needles prevented her becoming an anaesthetist, while Drew Buckley was no good at mathematics and didn't like science.

So both ended up studying law at Waikato University, forged a relationship, and were admitted as barristers and solicitors in the High Court at Whangarei yesterday with close family and friends in attendance.

Ms Thompson, 22, was born and bred in Whangarei and said because some of her extended family members were lawyers, it seemed a natural profession to get into.

"I wanted to be an anaesthetist but I don't like needles," she said.

She joined law firm Henderson Reeves Connell Rishworth six weeks ago.

Mr Buckley, also 22, hails from Hamilton and his older brother is already practising law in England, but he had not been particularly keen to follow his sibling into the profession.

"My teachers at high school know I wasn't good in maths and didn't like science so they thought I'd run my mouth at law.

"I did a [law] degree only because it was a good one. I didn't really have goals but once I started studying law, I loved it."

He enjoys the feeling of being in court and is keen to practise in criminal law.

Mr Buckley currently practises at Tai Tokerau Community Law in Whangarei.

Admitting the couple to the bar, Justice Murray Gilbert reminded them to enjoy law but to hang on to their sense of humour because law could be stressful at times. They should be honest, independent and objective in dealings with those they served as their advice would affect people directly, he said.