This morning my children and I sat in the Auckland High Court to watch Madeleine be admitted to the Bar. The ceremony had the solemn pomp and formality of Barristers wigs, robes and when Madeleine spoke for the first time in open court as an enrolled Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand she opened with “if it pleases your Honour”.
I am very proud of Madeleine today she has overcome a lot of obstacles to get to this day.
When I first met Madeleine 15 years ago she was a single mother struggling to raise two kids whilst working part-time and studying towards a law degree. (She wrote of some of those struggles in In Pursuit of an LLB). After we married she took several years off to raise our children and support me in my theological studies. She returned to law school in 2008 when the company she was working for as a Personal and Legal Assistant bonded her to do complete her law studies part-time.
A month after her return to law school in 2008 a car accident left Madeleine with a serious neck injury. Back then she was in severe pain, taking mind altering pain medication which only partially controlled the pain while she waited for surgery. With a sitting tolerance of 20 minutes she was unable to attend lectures and unable to sit through exams or do big stints at the computer. She also lost her job as a result of this but she was determined to not lose her chance at attaining entrance to the law profession. She persevered with only 1 or 2 papers at a time. I drove into Auckland University to tape her lectures and take notes for her. She had to learn how to study and write assignments in 20 minute bursts, something she found extremely frustrating as even with lots of breaks she’d end up in awful pain after a few hours. Exams were very difficult for her given her pain limitations but she would not take a semester off. She kept going.
She completed her LLB mid 2010 (she had started it 17 years earlier in 1993). She completed her Certificate of Professional Legal Studies (the NZ equivalent of the bar exams) at the end f 2010 – she was nearly there – but then she got hit by ACC deciding her injury was “degenerative” which saw her salary compensation cut off and then towards the end of 2010 her former spouse laid a complaint against her character with the Law Society from jail causing her application for a Certificate of Character to be delayed while the complaint was investigated. This put everything on hold for 8 months but in May, after the Law Society asked her ex to provide evidence to support his claims and he failed to do so despite being granted an extension of time, the complaint was dismissed and Madeleine was declared a fit and proper person to practice law in New Zealand. With her Certificate of Character in hand she was clear to apply for admission and this morning Madeleine was admitted to the Bar.
Congratulations Madeleine, the children and I love you and are all very proud of you; your perseverance is a real inspiration to us all. Enjoy your celebrations tonight.
Tags: Law Studies25 Comments
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Woooh! Go Madeleine!
Congratulations from San Francisco, Madeleine!
You’ve been through a lot; now enjoy the rewards.
CongratulationS!!! God is blessing!
sheeeeesh, I’m gonna have to be on my best behaviour now! no seriously, congratulations Madeleine, and to Matt – for standing by her.
I have to say that I am so happy and proud of Madeleine. As a mother, it was hard for me to watch as she went through all of the .things Mathew mentioned. I personally would have not been able to do what she did.. However, I always said she was special and she is.
Well done Madeleine.
Congrats Mads! How tall is your eldest son? He looks very tall.
well done.
my only gripe is the NZ legal system still clinging to English traditions of gowns and wigs – guys it’s the 21st century not the 18th.
Wow, what a story – well done Madeleine, and nice write-up Matt…
God’s blessing to you Madeleine. And congratulations.
Congratulations on such a hard-earned accomplishment!
This is an amazing story to read about on my birthday morning! Congratulations! What a lot of work the both of you had to go through! It is not at all surprising after reading something like that to see why you have such an awesome blog.
Thanks everyone and thanks Mum 🙂
I wish you could have been there but volcanic ash and planes are not good combinations.
It has been a long and rough journey at times but there was no question in my mind that I would not finish it – though without Matt’s support, especially when I got injured, I would still be trying.
I have come a long way from those gruelling days after the accident, I still have to be careful to pace myself and not flare any pain but I am pleased to say the frustrating pace of 2 or 3, 20 minute bursts followed by a 2 hour rest are a thing of the past. I am way more productive now even if I do still have some limitations.
Kyle, our eldest son Christian keeps growing so we are not sure of his height beyond that he is over 6 feet. We were all standing on flat ground in that photo – I was wearing fairly high heels and yet he still was towering over me.
Congratulations, Madeleine! To say that you’ve earned it would be an understatement.
Do you have to wear that wig in court when you argue a case or is it just for this particular ceremony?
Bravo!
Well done.
Was there an oath?
If so, what was it?
Congratulations, Madeleine.
Blessings and best wishes to you all.
The wigs and gowns are for ceremony only these days in NZ. In the district court counsel and judges wear suits. In the High Court they wear robes but not wigs. I am not sure what happens at the Supreme Court as it is in Wellington and I have never observed it.
We had the choice of swearing an oath on the bible (a bible had been placed on each candidate’s seat) or we could put the bible under the seat and make an affirmation instead. I took the oath. The wording is prescribed by section 52(2)(b) of the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006:
“I, NAME, swear that I will truly and honestly conduct myself in the practice of a barrister and solicitor according to the best of my knowledge and ability.”
Excellent, I am proud too because hearing your story warts and all over the last 2 years has been insprirational.
Well done
Mike
awesome photo, well done on the struggle to be able to take it.
@ Madeleine
“The wigs and gowns are for ceremony only these days in NZ. In the district court counsel and judges wear suits. In the High Court they wear robes but not wigs. I am not sure what happens at the Supreme Court as it is in Wellington and I have never observed it.”
Huzzah for the Kiwis then. Now, if you lot could just think a bit more about becoming a republic and leaving the Commonwealth then I’d be so happy for you all.
Congratulations!
Congratulations, Madeleine!
Wow,
That is stuff that they make Hollywood movies out of. Congratulations!
A car wreck left Madeline with a neck injury with severe pain.
Praise Jeezus!! His blessed mercy saw fit not to kill her or make her a paraplegic! He only wanted to cause her a little ‘severe pain”.
And interrupt her pursuit of life, liberty and happiness.
I just can’t stop praising Jeezus!!