1 Mar 2010

Call for more Maori lawyers in criminal, family courts

10:50 am on 1 March 2010

Maori Land Court deputy chief judge Caren Fox is praising the depth of Maori legal talent.

Between 10 to 20 Maori are admitted to the bar each year and there are now several hundred Maori lawyers.

Judge Fox says it's great to see Maori doing commercial, regulatory and environmental law, but there are not enough lawyers in other fields with a high Maori need, such as the criminal courts and Family Courts.

She told Waatea News these courts could do with "a good smattering of Maori lawyers, but they don't stay very long".