Tompkins Wake Rotorua

12/10/2026

Tompkins Wake is proud to be a finalist in three categories at the inaugural NZ Legal Excellence Awards.

The firm is nominated for Large Law Firm of the Year and Estate & Succession Planning Law Firm of the Year.
Christine Gavin, an Associate in our Hamilton property team, is a finalist for Legal Executive of the Year.

This is great recognition for our people across Hamilton, Auckland, Rotorua and Tauranga, and we are proud of the efforts our people make to support each other and our clients, on every matter, every day.

Congratulations to all the finalists. Winners will be announced at the Awards Gala in Auckland on 26 November.

https://bit.ly/3TqnhA8

23/09/2026

Tompkins Wake has been named a 5-Star Employer of Choice by Australasian Lawyer and NZ Lawyer, one of 11 New Zealand firms recognised in this year's list of 32 across Australia and New Zealand.

People, culture and capability are the first pillar of TW's strategy. The 5-Star Employers of Choice report assesses firms on evidenced outcomes, not stated policy, across remuneration, career progression, flexibility, learning and development, and wellbeing.

We're proud of this recognition, and we see it as a checkpoint validating our direction and focus. People Matter is our lead value and defines how we operate across our four offices. It's the standard we hold ourselves to, and the bar we'll keep raising as we strive to be a great place to work for all of our people.

Thank you to everyone across Tompkins Wake who makes a difference for our clients and each other, every day.

22/09/2026

Tompkins Wake was a proud sponsor of Harcourts Dancing for Hospice again this year, an event close to our heart, raising awareness and much-needed funds for Rotorua Community Hospice.

As a firm with deep roots in Rotorua, supporting the invaluable care Hospice provides to people and whānau across our community and region matters to us.

And again, this year it was personal. Our own Drisana Sheely, an employment lawyer in our Rotorua team, took to the dance floor alongside her dance partner Mike Cook, and they did us all and themselves proud. Learning a full routine and performing it in front of a crowd takes real courage, and they absolutely delivered it.

A huge thank you to everyone who came along, cheered, and gave, including those who dropped into our Rotorua office and donated via Tap & Go.

Ka rawe, Drisana & Mike.

16/09/2026

Voting is open for the Campbell Infrastructure People's Choice Award, and our very own Drisana is in the running with her dance partner Mike.

Every vote costs $4 plus fees, and the full $4 goes straight to Rotorua Community Hospice. That money funds the care Hospice provides to people and their families right across our community, at the time they need it most.

Mike and Drisana take the stage at the Energy Events Centre this Saturday, 19 September. If you've been following their training, now is the moment to back them.

To vote, scan the QR code on the poster, text HOSPICE26 and YOUR NAME to 2834, or use the link below.

👉 https://bit.ly/4Af5JHD

Every vote counts, and every vote helps Hospice.

27/08/2026

Curry & Quiz Night has been part of the TW fabric for more than a decade, and once again our four offices came together for one of the most popular evenings on the TW social calendar.

There was plenty of competition, some creative team names, and the usual debate over a few contested answers, which you'd expect from rooms at least half full of lawyers.

After several rounds of trivia, a great curry spread, and the usual banter, we had our winners, with the runners-up not far behind and already plotting their comeback.

A big thank you to our Social Committee for organising another great evening, and to everyone who came along and got involved, including our quiz masters for keeping four offices honest across Auckland, Hamilton, Rotorua and Tauranga. No easy feat when half the room disputes every second answer.

Congratulations again to all the winning teams and runners-up, whose appeals have now concluded (unsuccessfully). Same time next year.

26/08/2026

26/08/2026

Tompkins Wake are proud to support Harcourts Dancing for Hospice this year, and especially excited to cheer on our very own staff member Drisana, who is taking to the dance floor alongside her dance partner Mike! 🌟

This wonderful event helps raise awareness and much-needed funds for Rotorua Community Hospice, supporting the invaluable care they provide to people and families in our community.

You can show your support by attending the event, cheering on Drisana & Mike, or making a donation.

Making donations super easy, we have a Tap & Go donation point located in our reception with donation options ranging between $5 and $50. So, if you’d like to contribute to this very worthwhile cause, simply pop in our reception and tap and go.

Every donation, big or small, helps make a difference. ❤️

20/08/2026

Our Environmental Team swapped the office for the tea gardens with a visit to the Zealong Tea Estate.

Toni led us on a guided tour through the tea-making process, from leaf to cup. We followed with a tea ceremony and tasted some of Zealong's award-winning teas. After a stroll through the sculpture park to the Tea Room, we finished with a glass of sparkling iced tea.

Thanks to the wonderful team at Zealong for having us 🍵✨

13/08/2026

The finalists for the 2026 Tompkins Wake Rotorua Business Awards, presented by The Rotorua Business Chamber, have been announced, marking the awards' 35th year of recognising business excellence across our region.

Three and a half decades on, the awards remain a benchmark for the businesses, teams, and leaders driving Rotorua forward.

This year's judging panel noted a particularly high standard of entries, a strong indicator of the depth of talent and innovation within our local business community.

Congratulations to all finalists on this achievement. We look forward to celebrating your success at the Gala Dinner on October 31 at Rotorua's Energy Events Centre.

👉 Get your tickets: https://bit.ly/3TLNRU9

05/08/2026

On Friday 24th July, our people from across all Tompkins Wake offices came together for the inaugural TW Honours, our firm-wide employee awards celebration, held at the stunning The Pā on the University of Waikato.

More than 160 of our people travelled in from Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga and Rotorua for an evening that recognised the individuals and teams who make our firm what it is, and we celebrated five outstanding individuals who exemplify the spirit and ambition on which the firm was founded and continues to drive us today.

The TW Honours reflect more than outstanding performance. They celebrate the technical excellence, kindness, leadership, client focus and support for colleagues that bring the TW Way to life every day.

This year's winners included Eden Preece, Jo Lofroth, Jake Russ Kendyll Hewer and Lisa Jamieson, each recognised for the excellence, spirit and care they bring to their teams and clients. Our Civil Litigation Team took out the Team of the Year award, recognised by their peers from across the firm.

We back our people to be ambitious, to back themselves, and to back each other. Evenings like this are a reminder of what that belief builds and are a showcase of our values in action.

We're proud of the culture we've created together, and the TW Honours will become an annual tradition to recognise excellence and celebrate our success.