The initiative aims to help boost diversity in the legal profession
MinterEllisonRuddWatts has launched Ngā Karahipi Whakaeke, an awards programme tailored to Māori law students that aims to help boost diversity in the legal profession.
According to the firm, Ngā Karahipi Whakaeke offers financial support and mentorship to Māori law students who “are the first member of their whānau tonu (immediate family) to attend university and/or will be the first in whānau to graduate with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB).”
“Our firm’s purpose is to help shape Aotearoa New Zealand’s future, and we are excited to establish Ngā Karahipi Whakaeke. Whakaeke means to enable arrival, as we aim to support more Māori students through their law studies and to achieve their goals,” said Andrew Poole, chief executive of MinterEllisonRuddWatts. “We are proud to support the next generation of Māori lawyers and look forward to working with these talented students and seeing where the programme can take them.”
To qualify for the programme, the Māori law students must be enrolled at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington (Whakaeke Pōneke) and Waipapa Taumata Rau - University of Auckland (Whakaeke Tāmaki). For the 2024 academic year, the firm has allocated $5,000 in financial assistance to be given to awardees at the start of the semester/trimester in addition to mentoring and CV support.
The first award, Whakaeke Poneke, was introduced at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington on Monday. The second award, Whakaeke Tāmaki, is slated for a September launch.
The final selection of award recipients is scheduled for an October announcement. The firm’s support will commence in line with the 2024 study year.
