"For the legal profession in those days, to lose 50 lawyers was something quite significant," said Law Society communications manager Geoff Adlam, who led the project.
The average age at death of lawyers who died during conflict was 29 years and nine months.
Mr Adlam has written biographies on all of them, and found many had brilliant careers cut short by their service.
The first lawyer killed was Herman Baddeley, Otorohanga partner of the Te Awamutu firm Cox, Luxford and Baddeley.
He was reported wounded and missing on the day New Zealand forces landed at Gallipoli, April 25, 1915.
Twelve lawyers died in mid-1916 during the battles along the Somme.
Two more - the accomplished Stratford lawyer Robert Spence and Hugh Forrest - were among 846 New Zealanders killed within the first four hours of the Battle of Passchendaele on October 12, 1917.
"Part of the surprise was unlocking their stories," Mr Adlam said. "There really were some very interesting characters."
The District Law Societies of Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Canterbury, and later Waikato-Bay of Plenty erected memorial tablets for lawyers from their area who died in the war.
But the plaques record only 32 names and these contain some errors, in names and initials.
"We hope this roll of honour can help keep memories alive," Mr Adlam said.
"I've already had people get in touch to thank me for telling the story of their great uncle.
