Editors-in-Chief – 2025 Edition

Nicole Browne
Nicole is a Senior Solicitor at the Office of Human Rights Proceedings. She is a human rights litigator specialising in sexual harassment and gender discrimination. Her particular interest is in intersectionality and access to justice for Māori, trans and migrant women. She has written for the New Zealand Law Journal on the topic of sexual harassment under the Human Rights Act 1993.

Nicole graduated with an LLB(Hons) in 2018 and started her career at Russell McVeagh. She is originally from Mangawhai, where her whānau is still based. Nicole is also on the Board of the Waitematā Community Law Centre

Nicole was a Co-Editor-in-Chief of the 2024 edition, has followed the work of the Journal since its inception and feels privileged to contribute to its kaupapa and mahi. She is excited to work with a passionate and impressive team to platform authors who develop Aotearoa’s literature on gender-based justice issues.

Samantha Fowler
Samantha Fowler (Ngāi Te Rangi) is passionate about amplifying Māori voices and advancing discussion on gender-based justice through a tikanga Māori lens. Samantha is a solicitor at Luke Cunningham Clere in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, having previously worked in the Environment and Planning team at Dentons. She graduated from the University of Otago in 2022 with an LLB(Hons) and a BA. Samantha has a particular interest in improving criminal justice outcomes for wāhine Māori and achieving indigenous climate justice.

Having previously worked as an Associate Editor with the Journal, Samantha is excited to continue contributing to this kaupapa and the mahi of furthering intersectional legal scholarship.

Romy Wales
Romy Wales is a Senior Solicitor in the litigation team at Chapman Tripp, where she practices commercial and public litigation. She also volunteers at Community Law Wellington and Hutt Valley. Romy graduated from the University of Otago in 2021 with an LLB(Hons) and a BSc majoring in Neuroscience. She began her career as a judges' clerk at Te Kōti Matua o Tāmaki Makaurau (the Auckland High Court). Romy's areas of interest include access to justice, the experiences of women and rainbow communities in the law, and public law.

Romy joined the Journal in 2022 as an Associate Editor, was one of the Deputy Editors for the 2023 edition, and a Co-Editor-in-Chief for the 2024 edition. She is excited to get into another year with the Journal, and looking forward to engaging with the wealth of feminist legal scholarship.

Deputy Editors

Sophie Dixon
Sophie is a Judge’s Clerk at the Wellington High Court | Te Kōti Matua o Aotearoa. She graduated from Victoria University of Wellington | Te Herenga Waka in 2023 with a LLB/BA majoring in English Literature. Sophie is excited to be working with the Journal this year and is committed to publishing legal scholarship that platforms rainbow and disabled wāhine. At university, she won the Feminist Moot and the Rainbow Moot, and worked as the Sustainability and Wellbeing Officer for the Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association. Sophie is looking forward to working with the wider Editorial team. She was a Student Editor for the New Zealand Law Reports and an Assistant Student Editor for the VUW Law Review. In her spare time, she enjoys starting craft projects, going to book club and watching every show Shonda Rhimes has produced.

Jacinda (Cindy) Baker
Ko Jacinda tokū ignoa (Ngāpuhi, Punjab). Jacinda studied a Bachelor of Law at the University of Waikato and currently works in the Waitangi Tribunal Unit. After following the Journal’s work for a few years, she is thrilled to now have the opportunity to support and contribute to its important kaupapa. 

Managing Editor

Sonia Pinto
Sonia is an Auckland-based Barrister and Solicitor in the litigation team at Inland Revenue where she mainly does criminal tax prosecutions. She completed her Master of Laws with distinction last year, specialising in criminal law. Sonia began her career as a criminal defence barrister before turning to prosecution. She has a keen interest in social justice issues, the experiences of women in the field and access to justice in the area of criminal law.

This is Sonia’s second year in the role of Managing Editor for the Journal and she is the current convener of Law Society’s Auckland New Lawyers group.

Advocacy Manager

Sophie Vreeburg
Sophie is a Solicitor and Crown Prosecutor at Meredith Connell. In this role she has developed a passion for improving justice outcomes and oral advocacy, spending most weeks on her feet in the busy District Court.

This passion was the focus of her contributions to the NZLS Independent Review, Family Violence Amendment Bill and the Victims of Sexual Violence Bill during her time as an Advocacy team member in 2023.

Whilst at University in Tāmaki Makaurau, she was the director of the Equal Justice Project, a pro bono and student-led charity focused on social equality, inclusivity and access to justice. Sophie hopes to draw on this experience and build on the Journal’s scholarship by increasing the accessibility and reach of its law reform and other educational initiatives, including the ongoing development of its podcast series.