CLANZ scholarship winner to examine legal services to Crown
FOR IMMEDIATE USE, 17 December 2014
CLANZ scholarship winner to examine legal services to Crown
Wellington in-house lawyer Tania Warburton is the inaugural winner of the research scholarship established by the Corporate Lawyers Association of New Zealand (CLANZ).
Ms Warburton, who is the Acting Chief Legal Counsel at the Ministry of Justice, receives $10,000 which she will use for research into the delivery of legal services to the Crown.
The scholarship enables a New Zealand in-house lawyer or post-graduate law student to undertake research directly relevant to the practice of in-house law in New Zealand, and to publish that research.
Ms Warburton’s winning research proposal focuses on the delivery of government in-house legal services, examining recent changes in the New Zealand context, together with an international comparison of in-house models.
The award will also allow her to attend Harvard Law School’s Leadership in Corporate Counsel programme and to spend time in the Treasury Solicitor’s Office in London, where she will compare New Zealand’s government in-house counsel model with its British equivalent.
Solicitor-General Michael Heron QC says Ms Warburton’s in-depth analysis of New Zealand’s model against comparable networks overseas will help the Government Legal Network to advance its aim of continuous improvement in the quality and value of legal services provided to the Crown.
“The Network is very much a collaborative exercise and relies upon ongoing leadership contributions from lawyers right across government. Tania’s sustained experience as a government lawyer will be an asset, both in the research process and in the results she achieves. We look forward to the outcome with interest,” Mr Heron says.
CLANZ Vice-President and scholarship panel judge Dr Katie Elkin says Ms Warburton’s proposed research is likely to be of great interest and value to the profession.
“We congratulate Tania on her success in being awarded the inaugural CLANZ research scholarship and look forward to seeing the results of her work,” Dr Elkin says.
CLANZ is a Section of the New Zealand Law Society and represents over 2,650 in-house lawyers in New Zealand.
Tania Warburton
Ms Warburton’s role at the Ministry of Justice involves a mix of advisory and management responsibilities – advising the Minister and business units within the Ministry as well as managing the legal team. Her experience in this new position provided the impetus for her scholarship application. Ms Warburton’s career as a lawyer in the public service has included roles with Crown Law, the Cabinet Office and Ministry of Justice.