The DLA Piper senior associate also talks the joy of returning home from overseas
For Jennifer Smith, change is an opportunity to add value for clients. Thus, she encourages lawyers to stay “genuinely curious”, especially in a dynamic field like financial services.
What made you choose a career in law, and what's your favourite part of the job?
I was drawn to law because it is based in written language. My favourite part of the job is finding creative solutions to clients' problems.
What in your opinion has been the most memorable event of your career to date?
Attending my first "ringing the bell" ceremony at the NZX after assisting a client with listing a fund under the brand new (at the time) fund listing rules.
What has been your proudest accomplishment in the last year or so?
I’m proud of the work we’ve done helping clients prepare for the CoFI regime and broader conduct obligations. It’s rewarding to see financial institutions move from viewing regulation as a compliance burden to embracing it as a way to build trust and resilience.
What’s the biggest lesson you learned in your career and what advice can you give fellow lawyers about it?
If there’s one lesson I keep coming back to, it’s the importance of staying genuinely curious. Financial markets and regulatory settings never stand still. My advice: keep learning, and see change as a chance to add real value for clients.
What should the profession focus more on?
How to develop talent and work with different thinking and working styles to help draw out everyone's potential, rather than imposing a rigid hierarchy and one-size-fits-all way of working.
What challenges are particularly pressing in the country’s legal industry?
Adapting to the uptake of AI and the global erosion of the rule of law.
What are your thoughts on new technology and its impact on the legal profession?
I'm concerned about a growing tendency to outsource critical thinking and thorough understanding of complex issues to new technology and processes. I think that use of technology needs to be well-considered and respond to genuine needs. Rigid adherence to "systems" without a person looking at a problem laterally and applying common sense can result in bad outcomes for the legal profession and our clients.
If you could relive one day in your life, which day would it be and why?
Probably the first day I stepped back into our Wellington office after my time overseas. There was something very special about reconnecting with colleagues and clients here, and feeling the energy of contributing to New Zealand’s financial services landscape with fresh perspective.
