Major Law Firm Takes Top Position For Legal Aid Payments

Total Of $3.6 million paid to Kensington Swan Over 18 months - Top Auckland Legal Aid Earner

LawFuel.co.nz - Legal aid payments of over $3.6 million have gone to one of the largest law firms in the country, Kensington Swan, records released to legal news and law jobs website www.Lawfuel.co.nz reveal.

In the last six months of 2007, Kensington Swan, which has offices in both Wellington and Auckland, took $1.4 million, the figures show. The law firm's top position over the 18 month period was almost $1 million more than the second-position holder, Wellington barrister Sonja Cooper, who's take from legal aid was over $2.8 million.

Carl Hirschfeld, who handles Maori claims work and related legal work, was the third highest overall earner over the 18 month period, taking over $2.8 million also.

The top Auckland region legal aid lawyers were:

 Kensington Swan ($1,367,000)
 Charl Hirschfeld ($1,325,000)
 Wackrow Williams & Davies ($650,000)
 Darrell Naden ($630,000)
 Shane Tait ($627,000)
 Corban Revell ($613,000)
 Powell Webber ($570,000)
 McLeod & Associates ($419,000)
 Michael Reed QC ($408,000)
 Boyle Mathieson ($399,000)

The figures obtained by LawFuel show the top legal aid recipients nationally over the periods as being:

1 July - 31 December 2007 1 July 2006 - 31 June 2007

1. Sonja M Cooper 1,580.674.66 1. Kensington Swan 2.257,600.16
2. Kensington Swan 1,367,406.97 2. Charl Hirschfeld 1.492.187.16
3. Charl Hirschfeld 1,325,830.54 3. Sonja Cooper 1.284.187.16
4. Rainey Collins 1,094,351.26 4. Rainey Collins 990,966.53
5. Rangitauira & Co 811,085.68 5. Powell Webber 846,434.10
6. Wackrow Williams 653,254.73 6. Rangitauira & Co 806,726.64
7. Darrell Naden 628,978 7. G J King 805,280.05
8. Shane Tait 627,224.20 8. Corban Revell 803,801.47
9. G J King 618,206.02 9. John Miller 745,450.88
10. McCaw Lewis 613,502.55 10. Wackrow Williams 672,352.98

Top Five (18 month period until 31 December 2007, rounded to nearest 1000)

1.Kensington Swan $3,625,000
2.Sonja M Cooper $2,865,000
3.Charl Hirschfeld $2,818,000
4.Rainey Collins $2,080,000
5.Rangitauira & Co $1,618,000

The full legal aid list of payments may be seen at www.lawfuel.co.nz

About Lawfuel.co.nz

Lawfuel.co.nz is the legal jobs and law news website. The global Lawfuel website is one of the Net's largest legal news release websites. www.Lawfuel.co.nz is a legal news and legal jobs website.

ENDS

© Scoop Media