Report: Fofola na ibe – Improving Pasifika Legal Education in Aotearoa Report on Talanoa Research Findings and Recommendations

Fofola na ibe – Improving Pasifika Legal Education in Aotearoa Report on Talanoa Research Findings and Recommendations

Publication date: November 2022

Authors: Mele Tupou-Vaitohi & Wiliame Gucake

‘Fofola na ibe―Improving Pasifika Legal Education in Aotearoa Report on Talanoa Research Findings and Recommendations’, which follows an initial literature review, summarises the experiences of 130 Pasifika law practitioners—both students and professionals—within their chosen career. This research was undertaken through Talanoa―a traditional, inclusive, and participatory dialogue process—a first-of-its-kind approach for legal research.

The report presents recommendations for consideration to law schools, the law profession, and Government, while addressing some confronting statistics. Although Pasifika make up 8.1 percent of the population of Aotearoa, only 7 percent of law graduates are Pasifika and only 3 percent of legal professionals and practitioners are Pasifika. In 2021, there were 517 registered Pasifika lawyers, a ratio of just one lawyer to every 802 Pasifika peoples. The report makes a raft of recommendations for law schools in Aotearoa, the legal profession, and Government. These include practical steps that can be taken to ensure long-term educational and professional equity for Pasifika students and lawyers.