Sue Barker
Director
LLB(Hons) (First Class) / BCA / CA

Sue Barker is the director of Sue Barker Charities Law, a boutique law firm based in Wellington, New Zealand, specialising in charities law and public tax law. Since its founding in 2012, the firm has won a number of awards, including Boutique Law Firm of the Year at the New Zealand Law Awards. In 2019, Sue was honoured to be awarded the prestigious New Zealand Law Foundation International Research Fellowship, Te Karahipi Rangahau ā Taiao, New Zealand's premier legal research award, to undertake research into the question "What does a world-leading framework of charities law look like?". The report from the Fellowship, Focus on purpose, was released in April 2022 making 70 recommendations for charities law reform in Aotearoa New Zealand. More information about the research, including a link to the report, and a facility to sign up for updates, can be found at www.charitieslawreform.nz.

Sue is recognised internationally as a Charity Law Scholar by the International Charity Law Network and is a director of the Charity Law Association of Australia and New Zealand, a member of Charities Services' Sector Group, and a member of the Core Reference Group for the Review of the Charities Act. Sue is also a co-author of the text, The Law and Practice of Charities in New Zealand (LexisNexis, 2013), and a contributor to Charity Law: Exploring the Concept of Public Benefit (Routledge, 2022), Regulating Charities: the Inside Story (Routledge, 2017), Corporate Governance - A Practical Handbook (2ed) (Wolters Kluwer, 2016), Balancing Work and Life: a Practical Guide for Lawyers (LexisNexis, 2015), and Governance and Regulation of Charities: International and Comparative Perspectives (Edward Elgar, 2023, forthcoming). 

Sue has been a regular guest lecturer at the University of Otago LAWS 486 charity law/not-for-profit law summer course, and an invited speaker at the University of Melbourne Law School Masters Course Charity law for the 21st century and The University of Auckland LLM course LAWGENRL 715 Law of Not-for-profits. Sue has also been a visiting fellow at the University of Western Australia Law School. In 2016, Sue was made an Honorary National Life Member of the National Council of Women of New Zealand Incorporated Te Kauhinera Wahine o Aotearoa for her work assisting the Council with charities law issues. 

Examples of Sue’s specific experience can be found here.

Career Summary:

• 2012-present, Director, Sue Barker Charities Law. Since its founding in 2012, the firm and its director have won a number of awards, including Boutique Law Firm of the Year at the New Zealand Law Awards and New Zealand - Gamechanger of the Year at the Gamechangers (ACQ5) Global Awards (a fuller list of awards is set out below);

• 2010-2012, Principal and Consultant, Chen Palmer, New Zealand Public and Employment Law Specialists, Principal, Leader of Commercial Law Team. In 2010 and 2011, Chen Palmer was voted New Zealand’s best public law firm at the New Zealand Law Awards;


• 2008-2010, Chapman Tripp, Senior Solicitor, Finance Team, Tax Team. In 2010, Chapman Tripp was placed in the top band in Chambers Global 2010 in 5 main practice areas, including banking and finance, and tax;

• 2002-2008, Buddle Findlay, Senior Associate, Revenue Law Team, Business Services Team (part-time 2005-2008). In 2008, Buddle Findlay was declared New Zealand’s tax controversy firm of the year in the prestigious International Tax Review’s Asia Awards;

• 1998-2002, Crown Law Office, Associate Crown Counsel, Tax and Commercial Law Team (part-time 1999-2002). Sue achieved wins for the Commissioner of Inland Revenue/Attorney-General in every case she argued in Court;

• 1993-1998, Inland Revenue Department, Senior Policy Analyst, Policy Advice Division (part-time 1995), working principally on the rewrite of the income tax legislation;

• 1990-1993, Inland Revenue Department, Investigations Unit;

• University tutor, accounting, 1991.

Memberships:

• New Zealand Law Society, since 1999;

• Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (formerly the New Zealand Institute of
   Chartered Accountants and the New Zealand Society of Accountants), since 1993;

• Charity Law Association of Australia and New Zealand since 2012, Director since 2016;

• Honorary National Life Member, National Council of Women of New Zealand Incorporated, 
  since September 2016;

• International Fiscal Association, since 2012;

• New Zealand Trustees' Association, since 2012;

• Council member, Wellington branch of the New Zealand Law Society, 2015 - 2017;

• Onslow College Board of Trustees, 2014 - 2017;

• Trustee, The Gift Trust, a donor-advised philanthropic trust, CC40774, 2013 - 2016;

• Trustee, Wellington Dance Festival Charitable Trust, since 2011;

• Member, Khandallah Arts Theatre, since 2003;

• Recipient, United World College Scholarship and graduate, United World College of 
the Atlantic, Wales;

• Occasional member, Counsel in Concert.


Other:

Sue reached national level in 5 sports (cross-country running, springboard diving, football/soccer, trampolining and life-saving) and 3 musical disciplines (classical piano, chamber orchestra (violoncello) and chamber choir).

Sue is an accomplished pianist, having studied piano performance at Victoria University of Wellington. Her piano engagements include: working as a pianist for dance classes at the New Zealand School of Dance and Deirdre Tarrant Dance Studios, as an on-stage pianist for Downstage Theatre’s production of Arsenic and Old Lace, as a café pianist and vocalist in Wellington, Nelson and Christchurch, as a private piano teacher, and as a member of Nightlife, a 5-piece covers rock band, playing for weddings, parties, clubs and bars around Wellington and the lower North Island. Sue has also studied, taught and performed in several different forms of dance. 

Awards:

    • Leading Legal Mind in Charity and Trust Law 2024 (New Zealand), at the Acquisition International 2024 Influential Businesswoman Awards;
    • Trusted Charities Law Firm of the Year 2024 - New Zealand, at the APAC Legal Awards 2024;
    • Most Outstanding Law Firm 2024, at the Global Business Awards;
    • Most Outstanding Boutique Law Firm of the Year - New Zealand, at the Global 100 - 2024 Awards;
    • Most Outstanding Boutique Law Firm of the Year - New Zealand, at the Lawyer International Legal 100 - 2024 Awards;
    • Most Outstanding Boutique Law Firm 2024 - Charities Law, at the Global Business Insight Awards;
    • Boutique Law Firm of the Year, at the Corporate LiveWire Global Awards 2023/24;
    • Gamechanger of the Year, at the Gamechangers Global Awards 2023;
    • Most Trusted Charities Law Firm 2023 - New Zealand, at the AI Legal Awards 2023;
    • New Zealand - Niche Law Firm of the Year (Charity), at the Gamechangers Global Awards 2023;
    • New Zealand - Law Firm of the Year, at the Gamechangers Law Awards 2023;
    • Most Outstanding Boutique Law Firm of the Year - New Zealand, at the Global 100 - 2023 awards;
    • Most Outstanding Boutique Law Firm of the Year - New Zealand, at the Corporate America Today - Annual Awards 2023;
    • Most Outstanding Boutique Law Firm of the Year - New Zealand, at the Lawyer International - Legal 200 - 2023 awards;
    • Most Compassionate Charity Law Specialist Director 2023 (New Zealand) at the Acquisition International Influential Businesswoman awards
    • Gamechanger Progress Champion Awards 2022 - Race and Culture Equality winner;
    • Leading Charity and Public Tax Law Firm of the Year 2022 - New Zealand at the AI Leading Adviser Awards;
    • Most Outstanding Boutique Law Firm of the Year - New Zealand, at the M&A Today Global Awards 2022;
    • Gamechanger Progress Champion Award (for diversity and inclusion) 2022;
    • Best Practice Operator of the Year, at the Gamechangers Country Best Practice Awards 2022;
    • New Zealand - Niche Law Firm of the Year (Charity), at the Gamechangers Country Best Practice Awards 2022 and the Gamechangers Global Awards 2022;
    • Most Outstanding Boutique Law Firm of the Year - New Zealand, at the Corporate America Today Annual Awards 2022;
    • Most Outstanding Boutique Law Firm of the Year - New Zealand, and Best Director of the Year, New Zealand, at the Global 100, 2022;
    • Most Outstanding Boutique Law Firm of the Year - New Zealand, at Lawyer International's Legal 100 Awards, 2022;
    • New Zealand - Gamechanger of the Year, at the Gamechangers (ACQ5) 2021 Global Awards;
    • New Zealand - Niche Law Firm of the Year (Charity), at the Gamechangers  (ACQ5) 2021 Global Awards;
    • Leading Specialist Charities Law Firm of the Year - New Zealand, at the AI 2021 Leading Adviser Awards, click here; 
    • Most Outstanding Boutique Law Firm of the Year - New Zealand, at The Legal 100 - 2021 Awards;
    • Most Outstanding Boutique Law Firm of the Year - New Zealand, at the M&A Today - Global Awards 2021;
    • Most Outstanding Boutique Law Firm 2021 - Charities Law, at the 2021 Global Business Insight Awards;
    • Best Boutique Law Firm 2021, at the 2021 Global Business Awards;
    • Leading Specialist Boutique Charities Law Firm of the Year, New Zealand, at the AI 2020 Leading Adviser Awards;
    • New Zealand - Niche Law Firm of the Year (Charity), at the ACQ5 Global Awards 2020;
    • New Zealand - Niche Law Firm of the Year (Charity), at the ACQ5 Law Awards 2020;
    • New Zealand - Best Practice Operator of the Year (Charity Law), at the ACQ5 Country Awards 2020;
    • New Zealand - Gamechanger of the Year, at the ACQ5 Global Awards 2019;
    • New Zealand - Niche Law Firm of the Year (Charity), at the ACQ5 Global Awards 2019;
    • New Zealand - Charities Lawyer of the Year, at the ACQ5 Law Awards 2019;
    • Asia - Niche Law Firm of the Year (Charity), at the ACQ5 Global Awards 2019;
    • New Zealand - Independent Public Tax Law Firm of the Year, at the ACQ5 Law Awards 2019;
    • Excellence in Charity Law Services, at the Corporate LiveWire Innovation and Excellence Awards 2019;
    • Public Tax Law Firm of the Year - New Zealand, at the Corporate Insider Business Excellence Awards 2019;
    • Leading Boutique Charity and Public Tax Law Firm of the Year, New Zealand, at the AI Leading Adviser Awards 2019;
    • Best Boutique Charities Law Specialists, at the APAC Insider 2019 Legal Awards;
    • New Zealand - Gamechanger of the Year, at the ACQ5 Global Awards 2018;
    • New Zealand - Niche Law Firm of the Year (Charity), at the ACQ5 Global Awards 2018;
    • Most Outstanding Boutique Law Firm 2018, Charities Law, at the Corporate Vision Corporate Excellence Awards 2018;
    • Boutique Law Firm of the Year - Wellington, at the APAC Insider 2018 Business Excellence Awards;
    • Boutique Law Firm of the Year 2018 - New Zealand, at the CV Magazine Legal Excellence Awards;
    • Public Tax Law Firm of the Year - New Zealand, at the Corporate Insider Business Excellence Legal Awards 2018;
    • New Zealand - Gamechanger of the Year, at the ACQ5 Global Awards 2017;
    • New Zealand - Niche Law Firm of the Year (Charity), at the ACQ5 Global Awards 2017;
    • Excellence in Charity Law - Australasia, at the Corporate LiveWire Legal Awards 2017/2018;
    • Best Boutique Law Firm, at the APAC Insider New Zealand Business Awards, 2017;
    • APAC Insider Polynesian Excellence Award, 2017;
    • Boutique Charities Law Firm of the Year, at the LawyerIssue Awards 2017;
    • Public Tax Law Firm of the Year - New Zealand, at the Corporate Insider Legal Awards 2017;
    • Boutique Tax Law Firm of the Year - New Zealand, at the Corporate LiveWire Legal Awards 2016;
    • Boutique Charities Law Firm of the Year - New Zealand, at the Corporate LiveWire Legal Awards 2015;
    • Boutique Law Firm of the Year, and first runner-up for the Tax Law Firm of the Year, at the New Zealand Law Awards 2013.