New Tikanga Māori Requirements for Local & International Law Students Studying Law or Calling to the Bar in New Zealand
Starting from 1 January 2025, the New Zealand legal education curriculum will include new requirements focused on Tikanga Māori, which encompasses Māori laws and philosophy. These aim to ensure that all law graduates have a comprehensive understanding of Māori laws and philosophy.
What are the new requirements?
A new compulsory law course on Tikanga Māori will be introduced.
Existing compulsory law courses will include relevant content on Tikanga Māori.
Impact on Overseas Lawyers and Graduates Seeking to be called to the Bar in New Zealand
- Before 1 January 2025: If you apply for a qualification assessment before this date, you will not need to meet the new Tikanga Māori requirements, unless your assessment or required study/training is more than 10 years old, which is then considered as stale.
- After 1 January 2025: Applications made after this date may require you to complete the new compulsory Tikanga Māori course, along with any other specified study or training.
Overseas graduates or overseas admitted practitioners MAY be required to do a separate university Tikanga course if they apply after this year. It is important to note that the NZLP Prescriptions are reviewed annually, and there is a possibility, although not confirmed yet, that some parts of the NZLP Prescription MAY be reviewed to incorporate aspects of Tikanga Maori.
If you are considering calling to the New Zealand bar in the near future, we strongly recommend that you send in your application as soon as possible in order to ensure your assessment is done before 1 January 2025.
If you want to get more information on the impact of the new Tikanga Māori requirements on your application, contact us through the form below.
**Important Notice
The above is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. It is imperative to monitor the latest statement/s on the website of the New Zealand Council of Legal Education about the current matter before the Regulations Review Committee with respect to the Tikanga amendments. The above information projects the current status of the statement and view of the Council, as of date, and may be subject to variations and updates.
Get in touch
For more information or to discuss your course requirements, our team is eager to speak with you. Contact us now and we will be in touch very quickly.
T: +230 5 836 2866
E: tutoring@vprmamagementservices.com
