Ethel Benjamin Scholarship
This award honours the country’s first woman barrister and solicitor, Ethel Benjamin, admitted in 1897.
Since the 1997 centenary of this event, the Law Foundation has awarded this scholarship to over 30 outstanding New Zealand women law graduates for post-graduate study, enabling them to study at some of the most prestigious universities in the world – Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge, Yale, New York, Columbia and Duke.
Value is up to $30,000 annually.
The Ethel Benjamin Prize for Women – Still Relevant in 2007?
In 2007, the Law Foundation published this 10 page PDF that looks at the relevance of the prize ten years after its establishment. Prize-winners talk about their work, the challenges they face, the opportunities that winning the prize brought them and whether it’s still relevant to award a prize specifically for women. Author: Janet November
In the Footsteps of Ethel Benjamin – New Zealand’s first woman lawyer
Another Law Foundation funded publication by Janet November – a book about Ethel’s life, work, determination and the obstacles she had to overcome in the late nineteenth century when the legal profession was all-male and conservative.
Despite being in recess, we are delighted that we are able to continue to offer this scholarship throughout our recess period.
Applications close 1st February each year.
Applications are managed by Universities New Zealand. Apply here.
Terms of Reference
Previous Ethel Benjamin Scholarship Recipients
2023: Jessica FentonJessica Fenton is the recipient of the 2023 New Zealand Law Foundation Ethel Benjamin Scholarship. Jessica graduated in 2019 with a BA and LLB from the University of Auckland – Waipapa Taumata Rau. About the recipient |
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2022: Josephine Te RataUniversity of Otago, LLB (Hons), BSc (Pure Mathematics) About the recipient |
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2022: Charlotte Agnew-HaringtonUniversity of Auckland, LLB (Hons), BA (Ancient History and Art History) About the recipient |
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2021: Georgia BellettUniversity of Otago, LLB (Hons), BSc (Neuroscience) About the recipient |
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2020: Ana LenardUniversity of Auckland, LLB (Hons), BSc (Geography, Psychology) About the recipient |
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2019: Harriet FarquharVictoria University of Wellington, LLB (Hons) About the recipient |
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2019 : Rosalind KosUniversity of Canterbury, LLB (Hons) About the recipient |
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2019: Nichola HodgeUniversity of Canterbury, LLB (Hons) About the recipient |
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2018 : Taylor BurgessUniversity of Auckland, LLB (Hons), BA Philosophy About the recipient |
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2018 : Kate StoneVictoria University of Wellington, LLB; University of Auckland, LLM specialising in human rights law About the recipient |
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2018 : Rez GardiUniversity of Auckland, LLB (Hons), BA International Relations/Political Studies and Criminology About the recipient |
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2017 : Johanna McDavittVictoria University of Wellington, LLB (Hons), BA International Relations, minor French About the recipient |
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2016 : Bree HuntleyUniversity of Auckland, LLB (Hons), BA (Hons) English About the recipient |
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2016 : Holly HedleyUniversity of Otago, LLB (Hons), BSc Psychology About the recipient |
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2015 : Rebecca ThomsonUniversity of Otago, LLB (Hons), BA (Hons) Philosophy and Political Science About the recipient |
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2015 : Stephanie ThompsonUniversity of Auckland, LLB (Hons), BA About the recipient |
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2014 : Lani InverarityVictoria University of Wellington, LLB (Hons), BA Political Science and International Relations About the recipient |
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2014 : Elizabeth ChanUniversity of Auckland, LLB (Hons), BA in Law, Political Science and French About the recipient |
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2014 : Zoe FuhrUniversity of Auckland, LLB (Hons), BA in Political Science and English About the recipient |
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2013 : Sally TraffordUniversity of Auckland, BA / LLM (Hons). About the recipient |
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2013 : Emma PeartUniversity of Otago, BA / LLM (Hons). About the recipient |
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2012 : Amelia KeeneVictoria University of Wellington, First class honours degree in Law, BA in History and Philosophy, 2010. Studying for LLM at Columbia University in New York. About the recipient |
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2011 : Charlotte LeslieUniversity of Auckland, LLB (Hons) and Bachelor Health Sciences, 2007. Studying for LLM at Harvard University. About the recipient |
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2011 : Anna CroweUniversity of Auckland, LLB (Hons) and BA (History), 2009. Studying for LLM at Harvard University. About the recipient |
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2011 : Natalie CoatesUniversity of Otago, First class honours degree in Law and Maori, 2009. Studying for LLM at Harvard University. About the recipient |
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2010 : Adrienne AndersonUniversity of Auckland, LLB (Hons) and BA (Spanish), 2008. Studying for LLM in Public International Law at the University of Michigan. About the recipient |
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2010 : Sarah NolanUniversity of Canterbury, LLB (Hons) and BA (Geography), 2007. Studying for LLM in Environmental Law and Policy at the University College of London. About the recipient |
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2009: Grace (Sim Dam) LeeUniversity of Canterbury, LLB (Hons) and BCom (Economics), 2007. Studying for LLM in International Environmental Law at Cambridge University. About the recipient |
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2009 : Katherine (Kate) WeversUniversity of Otago, LLB (Hons) and BSc (Biotechnology), 2005. Studying for LLM in Law and Biotechnology at Harvard University. About the recipient |
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2008 : Jessica KerrVictoria University of Wellington, LLB (Hons), 2006. Studied for LLM in Public and Private Law at Yale University. About the recipient |
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2007 : Toni MoyesUniversity of Canterbury, LLB (Hons) and BA, 2004 Studied for LLM at New York University School of Law, focussing on legal mechanisms that address energy production and climate preservation. About the recipient |
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2007 : Charlotte BrownVictoria University of Wellington, BA / LLB (Hons), 2004 Studied for LLM at Columbia Law School, focussing on developing freedom of speech jurisprudence. About the recipient |
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2006 : Nicola RoughanUniversity of Auckland LLB / BA, 2005 Studied for LLM at Yale University, in legal philosophy and international law. About the recipient |
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2006 : Katherine SandersUniversity of Auckland, LLB (Hons) and BA, 2004 Studied for LLM in Constitutional and Administrative Law at Yale University. About the recipient |
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2005 : Rhonda PowellUniversity of Otago, LLB (Hons) and BA (Politics), 2002 Studied for DPhil at Oxford University, Centre for Socio-Legal Studies. About the recipient |
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2004 : Jessica PalmerUniversity of Auckland, LLB (Hons) and BCom, 2002 Studied Private Law at University of Cambridge. About the recipient |
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2003 : Anna LongdillUniversity of Auckland, LLB (Hons) and BSc, 2003 Studied for MSc in Criminal Justice at Oxford University. About the recipient |
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2002 : Rachel CarnachanUniversity of Auckland, BA / LLM (Hons), 2000 Studied for LLM at Harvard University, focusing on role commercial law mechanisms play in containing risks of NZ’s integration with open capital markets. About the recipient |
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2002 : Liesle TheronVictoria University of Wellington, LLB (Hons), 1999; University of Stellenbosch, South Africa, BA (Law), 1995 Studied for LLM at New York University, in Administrative Law specialising in regulatory law and practice. About the recipient |
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2001 : Claudia GeiringerVictoria University of Wellington, LLB / BA (Hons) Studied for LLM at Columbia University, in Constitutional and Human Rights Law. About the recipient |
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2001 : Misty BaileyUniversity of Auckland, LLB (Hons) / B.Com Studied for LLM at New York University, in Tax Law. About the recipient |
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2000 : Hanna WilbergUniversity of Otago, LLB (Hons) / BA Studied for BCL and MPhil at Oxford University, focusing on Judicial Review. About the recipient |
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2000 : Joanne OliverVictoria University of Wellington Studied for LLM at Columbia University School of Law, in Intellectual Property and the Internet About the recipient |
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1999 : Rachael ConveryUniversity of Auckland, LLB (Hons) / BA (Law/English Literature), 1996 Studied for LLM at Columbia University School of Law, in Corporate and Securities Law. About the recipient |
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1999 : Nicole MorehamUniversity of Canterbury, LLB, (Hons), 1997 Studied for LLM and PhD at University of Cambridge, in Privacy Law. About the recipient |
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1998 : Catherine MurphyUniversity of Auckland, LLB, 1995 Studied for LLM at University of Cambridge, in Competition Law. About the recipient |
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1998 : Janette CampbellUniversity of Auckland LLB (Hons), BA Studied for LLM at Berkeley School of Law, in Environmental Law. About the recipient |
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1998 : Louise StoupeUniversity of Auckland, LLB / BA, 1995 Studied for M.Com Law, in Shipping and Insurance at University of Auckland, and LLM at Duke University School of Law. About the recipient |
