A warm welcome to our summer Law Clerks

We are very pleased to introduce you to Kaylee Bird and Cree Ratapu - our summer Law Clerks!

Kaylee has been part of the McCaw Lewis whānau since 2017, mostly working within our Asset Planning Team during the summer and semester breaks. She’s due to graduate with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) in 2020. She is a Sir Edmund Hillary Scholar for dance at the University of Waikato and has recently (Feb 2019) been to the Himalayas on the Step Higher Award.

Initially Kaylee chose law because she loves a good challenge and believes that working in the law is an awesome opportunity to expand her knowledge every day. This summer she’s looking forward to getting more experience with charities, an area of law she is very passionate about. “I am also excited to continue to upskill in asset planning. In this area of law you can provide peace-of-mind to clients at particularly difficult times” she says.

Cree Joined the whānau in November, and will mostly be assisting our Māori Legal Team this summer. In 2020, Cree will graduate from the University of Waikato with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB), majoring in Law and minoring in Māori and Indigenous studies. He’s proud to have been part of the 2019 Te Whakahiapo Board as Sports officer and is excited to learn and gain knowledge about the areas of law he’s most interested in going into: Māori land, Waitangi Tribunal work and Dispute Resolutions. He’s enjoying working on everything from article prep to report reviews, and hopes his passion for learning and aiming to make change will accumulate to something bigger over time.

When asked why he choose law, he says: “My initial plan was to join the army or navy, aiming towards becoming an SAS. However, my dad suggested possible further studies at university as an option, and suggested law. After giving it some time, I decided to give law a try and from the seed planted so long ago, I have grown and completed three years of my degree and have loved and enjoyed learning so much and having the potential and opportunities to make a change.”

Cree’s looking forward to making connections and learning with the McCaw Lewis whānau to further expand his knowledge and skills this summer.

Nau mai kōrua, we are so pleased to have you here!