Update: View our 2022 Award Winners here. 

We are delighted to announce the finalists for the 2022 ILANZ Awards!

ILANZ congratulates all nominees on their achievements and for being nominated for an award by their peers, employer or external legal firm. Congratulations, in particular to the award finalists! The finalists in each category are listed in alphabetical order. 

Individual Awards:


MC Public Sector In-house Lawyer of the Year Award

Ala Sonti, Manager, Public Trust Retail Legal Team
Ben Hamlin, Chief Legal Counsel, Competition Legal Commerce Commission
Lisa Brown, National Prosecutions Manger (Acting), Ministry for Primary Industries


Greenwood Roche Private Sector In-house Lawyer of the Year Award

James Radcliffe, General Counsel, Woolworths New Zealand 
Patricia Green, Associate General Counsel, Z Energy
Sarah Retter, Head of Legal, Fujitsu New Zealand
Tom Thursby, Head of Legal and Regulatory, Vodafone NZ


MAS New In-House Lawyer of the Year Award

Fraser McCallum, Privacy Officer, Legal Adviser and Graduate, Silver Fern Farms
Justys Vickers, Senior Legal Counsel, Litigation, Waka Kotahi NZTA
Samantha Allen, Prosecutor, New Zealand Police
Sivan Nathan, Group Company Secretary and Special Projects Executive, Perpetual Guardian Group
Susan Hur, Legal Counsel, GMP Pharmaceuticals

Team Awards:


Tompkins Wake Small In-house Team of the Year Award 

Callaghan Innovation Legal Team, Callaghan Innovation
Gallagher Legal Team, Gallagher Group
NZALPA Legal Team, New Zealand Air Line Pilots Association
Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Trust Legal Team, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei
University of Canterbury Legal Team, University of Canterbury


Chapman Tripp Private Sector In-house Team of the Year Award

Fonterra Legal Team, Fonterra
Woolworths Legal Services Team, Woolworths
Xero Legal Team, Xero


PwC Public Sector In-house Team of the Year Award

Competition Legal Team, Commerce Commission
Law Drafting Group, Parliamentary Counsel Office
Ngā Ratonga Ture | Legal Services, Auckland Council
Oranga Tamariki Legal Team (National Office), Oranga Tamariki - Ministry for Children

Special Awards:

ILANZ would like to extend a big thank you to our award sponsors who have made these awards possible.

Nominations for 2022 ILANZ Awards are closed.

The ILANZ Awards are celebrate the in-house legal profession’s leadership and excellence in the provision of legal services in Aotearoa, New Zealand. 

To ensure the ILANZ Awards remain robust and relevant, we’ve revitalised the Awards with new elements this year. This includes an expansion on awards categories and an easier nomination process! 

We are pleased to bring to you a new award, the ILANZ People and Culture Excellence Award, which recognises an in-house legal team that fosters and prioritises best practice in team culture by creating a positive and supportive culture within their team and wider organisation. 

Individual awards:

• MC Public Sector In-house Lawyer of the Year
• Greenwood Roche Private Sector In-house Lawyer of the Year
• MAS New In-house Lawyer of the Year

Team awards:

• MAS Small In-house Team of the Year
• Chapman Tripp Private Sector In-house Team of the Year
• PwC Public Sector In-house Team of the Year

Special awards:

• Simpson Grierson People & Culture Excellence Award
• Artemis Executive Recruitment In-house Innovation Award
• Comply With Community Contribution Award

Visit our Terms and Conditions and Awards Criteria for the full awards breakdown.
Please be aware we are moving away from offering cash prizes to award winners for 2022. Community Contribution: $5,000 in funding goes directly to a community organisation of the award winners choosing. 

How to submit a nomination?

1. Download the nomination form (word doc) below
2. Submit the nomination form and any supporting documents mentioned in the form to ILANZ via email:
   ILANZ Awards Committee, c/- Anita Rhodes, ILANZ Manager, [email protected] 

Extended Key dates:

• Thursday 31 March: Nominations close at 5pm
• June: Finalists announced
• Winners announced at the Conference at the Thursday Gala Dinner at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre