Simon Power - Lawyer of the Year

Simon Power - Lawyer of the Year

Lawfuel.co.nz - Former Justice Minister Simon Power has been named Lawyer of the Year, by Lawfuel, the legal news website.

Lawfuel publisher John Bowie said it was a "no contest" award to make Power New Zealand lawyer of the Year. "No one else came close in terms of having a major impact on the New Zealand legal system. Simon Power's unquestioned and constant change to the legal landscape made him the top contender."

Former Justice Minister Simon Power, who retired at the last election, has wrought more change upon the legal system than any Justice Minister in a generation. He is LawFuel's lawyer of the year.

Changes to the criminal law, capital markets and securities, courts, domestic law and more were just some of the changes introduced during his most recent term as Minister. Power takes up his position as head of private banking with Westpac Bank in January 2011.

Applauded for his reform to share market law and regulation, which earned him the NZ Shareholders’ Association annual award – the first in the eight-year history of the organization, while also earning criticism for his attempts to reform criminal law with sweeping reforms including removing the right to silence, provoking intense criticism from the legal community as well as ceding change to the intense political opposition.

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