A Rotorua lawyer has been declared a "visionary" in a new book featuring 16 lawyers from around the world.
Ian Blackman said he was honoured to be included in the book, alongside many highly respected international lawyers.
"I sort of can't believe I'm amongst them," he said.
The book, written by Simon Tupman,
is called Legal Eagles and is a compilation of "insights from visionary lawyers who are making a difference in the world".
The book features lawyers from the US, the UK, Australia and New Zealand.
Each lawyer gives an insight into what they do, how they got where they are, and advice for other lawyers.
Mr Tupman said he wrote the book because he was concerned about the negative public image of lawyers and wanted to demonstrate how lawyers were making a positive difference.
Mr Blackman is a managing partner at Rotorua's Blackman Spargo law firm which specialises in rural law and acts for farmers around the country.
He said he thought he was chosen for the book because his firm had taken an "innovative view of the practice of law" and was doing something unique.
"We are the only law firm that specialises in the rural sector," he said.
Mr Blackman said one of the reasons rural law was important was because it helped farmers in New Zealand to keep their farms in the family, thereby avoiding purchase by multi-national corporations.
Rural law deals with buying and selling farms, estate and succession plans and leases.
He formed the firm with partner Chris Spargo in 2003 because "we love working in the rural sector and helping farming families".
