Amokura Kawharu (Ngā Puhi and Ngāti Whātua) is President of Te Aka Matua o te Ture|The NZ Law Commission. Amokura Kawharu practised commercial law in Auckland and Sydney between 1997 and 2004 and then worked in academia from 2005 to 2020 specialising in commercial and investment arbitration, property law and international economic regulation. Amokura is co-author of Williams & Kawharu on Arbitration and has published widely in the arbitration law field. She is a Barrister of the High Court of New Zealand, a Fellow of the Arbitrators’ and Mediators’ Institute of New Zealand, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand.
Natalie Coates (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Tūhourangi, Tūhoe, Te Whānau a Apanui) is a Tumuaki|Partner at Kahui Legal. Natalie provides advice to clients on public law, commercial matters, the law relating to trusts, Maori land law and Maori, human and Indigenous rights. Natalie has assisted on litigation matters ranging from the Maori Land Court through to the Supreme Court. Prior to joining Kāhui Legal Natalie worked for an iwi organisation, two of New Zealand’s large national law firms, an international human rights organisation and the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Law.
Claire Mason is a Research Fellow at the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Law and former Centre Manager of Te Wai Ariki. Claire has particular expertise in children’s rights, having worked for leading children’s rights organisations internationally, as well as te Tiriti o Waitangi, having worked at the Waitangi Tribunal.
Maia Wikaira (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Rarawa, Ngāpuhi) is a Tumuaki|Director at Whāia Legal. Maia has appeared in the Waitangi Tribunal, Environment Court, Māori Land Court, High Court and Court of Appeal. Prior to joining Whāia Legal, Maia worked for the largest federally recognised tribe in California, the Yurok Tribe. There she was admitted to practise Yurok Tribal Law, and also represented the tribe in engagement with federal, state and other tribal governments. Before her time in the US, Maia worked at Russell McVeagh, in their Resource Management, Māori Legal and Commercial Litigation teams, and at Kāhui Legal.
Holly Reynolds (Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi, Ngāti Maniapoto) is a graduate of the University of Auckland Faculty of Law and former Pouāwhina Māori at the Faculty. Holly is currently pursuing a LLM in the USA with the support of a prestigious Borrin Foundation – Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Postgraduate Scholarship. Holly hopes her work will contribute towards transformative change that dismantles carceral states and promotes Indigenous autonomy and self-determination.