Māori & Pasifika at Buddle Findlay
Cultural capabilities
As part of their national D&I strategy, they have embedded a cultural capabilities framework within te ao Māori. This framework outlines their Kaupapa - their guiding principles:
- Manaakitanga (to show to others hospitality, kindness, generosity and support)
- Whanaungatanga (is a relationship created through shared experiences and collaboration in a way that provides people with a sense of belonging)
- Kotahitanga (represents unity, togetherness, solidarity and collaborative action)
- Mōhiotanga/maramatanga (is about sharing knowledge, understanding and comprehension)
Cultural capability initiatives
- Supporting their people to improve individual Te Reo Māori and tikanga skills, integrating these into day-to-day life and work
- Building relationships with Māori organisations, such as student associations and local marae
- Extended Te Reo Māori courses focused on introductory language skills, generally involving ten sessions over several months
- Te Reo Māori and Tikanga Māori for advocates - a seven-part course for litigation teams to support in using Te Reo Māori in the Court, as well as better understand how and when to apply tikanga to legal problems
- Pronunciation basics workshops held for their people
- Regular waiata practice sessions held in Auckland and Wellington, with waiata now regularly performed at in-person events
- Supporting Pātaka Kai - as part of Matariki celebrations, they take part in food drives to support Manukau Urban Māori Authority Foodbank (Auckland), Kōkiri Marae (Wellington) and Purapura Whetu (Christchurch)
- Partnering with Māori Law Review - they have been a partner of the monthly publication since 2013, supporting to host events, as well as contributing publications each year on legal developments affecting Māori
- Increasing engagement with Māori student associations, including running mooting and negotiation workshops, providing judges for negotiation competitions, hosting office tours, funding merchandise and running CV and interview workshops
- A graduate recruitment programme with Ngāi Tahu provides a preferential place to a Ngāi Tahu law student in their summer clerk programme each year
- They pay membership fees for individuals who wish to join Te Hunga Rōia Māori o Aotearoa (The Māori Law Society).
Māori & Pacific
- They partner with ICE which supports employment for Māori and Pacific students. In addition to this they host a week long paid internship with Māori and Pacific students to provide work experience to students interested in pursuing a career in law.
- They engage with Māori and Pacific university groups to support and provide financial aid in events and initiatives.