Bernadette Roka Arapere

He uri tēnei o Ngāti Raukawa te au ki te Tonga, o Ngāti Tūwharetoa, o Ngāti Maniapoto hoki.

I am a barrister specialising in Public and Administrative Law, Civil litigation, Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Māori legal issues, whenua and governance matters. I have been senior counsel in the courts at all levels including the Supreme Court in judicial review proceedings, appeals, and other general litigation including Waitangi Tribunal proceedings.

I am a Commissioner of the Transport Accident Investigation Commission, a Deputy Chair of the Teachers' Disciplinary Tribunal, a Trustee of Raukawa ki te Tonga Trust and a member of the Legislation Design and Advisory Committee.

I speak Te Reo Māori and have authentic knowledge of tikanga Māori. I welcome requests from clients to use te reo me ōna tikanga in our mahi and in court proceedings.

I began my career in 1999 working in historical research at the Office of Treaty Settlements and the Waitangi Tribunal.

In 2005 I commenced legal practice at Wackrow Williams & Davies Ltd in Auckland, working there for 10 years becoming an Associate and Director of the firm. I represented iwi, hapū, Māori organisations and private clients in the Courts and was also appointed counsel assisting in the Māori Land Court in complex proceedings. I also worked in general practice in property, estates and relationship property matters.

From 2015 to 2021 I was Crown Counsel at the Crown Law Office in Wellington and developed expertise in Public Law, particularly in cases where the activities of Government interact with other New Zealanders, natural resources, and the environment.

I joined the independent bar in October 2021 and with Rohario Murray established Kōkiri Chambers in 2022.