Profile
"West Oak’s success has come from always putting our clients’ best interests first and always finding ways to improve and add more value to them"
Andrew mcquiston,
west oak family office, wellington-altus private wealth
A leader in the field of insolvency and restructuring, Jacque Lethbridge is known for her dynamic and robust legal representation in prominent litigation cases. With a focus on commercial litigation, the partner at Martelli McKegg regularly advises on cases involving well-known commercial organisations and high-profile individuals, both in New Zealand and internationally.
Lethbridge joined Martelli McKegg in 2019 to head up its litigation team after her tenure at two specialist restructuring and insolvency law firms, having been made the first female partner of both firms. Reflecting on her work, Lethbridge says that restructuring and insolvency cases are always unique, and are both challenging and rewarding by nature.
“Litigation in the restructuring and insolvency space requires lawyers to be flexible, resilient and resourceful,” Lethbridge says.
“By definition, insolvency situations are time pressured, complex and involve a human element because these are people’s businesses and livelihoods. Therein lies both the challenge and the reward – robust and tactical advice given under pressure is critical to clients being able to make decisions quickly and, if required, resort to the Court exercising its supervisory jurisdiction.”
“The range of situations that can be thrown up is almost infinite and no case is ever truly the same, which makes the area incredibly rewarding as a lawyer,” she explains.
“It is also an area where insolvency practitioners and multiple teams of lawyers work together on cases to achieve an outcome with teamwork being at the heart of good outcomes.”
In the past year, Lethbridge advised on a case against the chief executive of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, which tested the ambit of the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Isolation and Quarantine) Order 2020. The result would be to allow the plaintiff and his partner to self-isolate as opposed to staying in an MIQ facility – a matter which would eventually proceed to Judicial Review in the High Court while Auckland was still under an extended lockdown.
“It was a testament to the resilience of the law profession, particularly in Auckland, in gruelling circumstances and showed how innovative the profession and Courts were in ensuring access to justice through the Courts on important rule of law issues were dealt with despite the lockdowns,” Lethbridge says.
In addition to being a practicing lawyer, Lethbridge has significant Board experience and has volunteered her time to the profession throughout her career. This includes as the current president of the New Zealand Law Society and as a former long-standing chairperson of the Board of Auckland Community Law Centre. In 2017, Lethbridge was also a finalist in the Emerging Leader category, and the Board she chaired was the winner of Governance Organisation of the Year at the Governance New Zealand Women on Boards awards.
Commenting on her role as a Board leader, Lethbridge says that working with women of different legal backgrounds is “immensely rewarding,” as was working in community law.
“I was a founding co-chair of the interest group Women in Restructuring and Insolvency, and what is now the voice for women in the restructuring and insolvency industry in New Zealand,” Lethbridge says.
“It was immensely rewarding working with women from many different law, accounting and insolvency firms and from the banks on a shared vision for how we could support and promote women in the industry.”
“Working in the community law centre movement has been one of the greatest honours of my life – from the people I sat on the Board with over more than 10 years, to the innovative ideas we came up with to try and make a difference to access to justice for the Auckland community but also the rest of Aotearoa New Zealand,” she adds.
“I saw great need in this space but also great resourcefulness and how a meaningful impact could be made by working together with a shared vision.”
Level 20, HSBC Tower, 188 Quay Street, Auckland 1010
+64 9 379 7333
Jacque.Lethbridge@martellimckegg.co.nz
linkedin.com/in/jacque-lethbridge-28530312
martellimckegg.co.nz
Jacque Lethbridge
Partner, Martelli McKegg
President, New Zealand Law Society
Te Kāhui Ture o Aotearoa
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2020–present
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
Deputy Principal at Australian Christian College - Southlands
Doctor of Education
2020–present
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2021
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Year 7 Community Leader and Leader for Learning Technologies and Platforms at Northern Beaches Christian School
Master of Business Administration, 2017–2019
2021
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2013
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Master of Education (Curriculum and Pedagogy)
2013
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Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
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Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Bachelor of Education (Primary)
2009–2012
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2001–2004
2007–2012
2015–2016
2015–2019
2011–2021
Jacque Lethbridge
Partner, Martelli McKegg
President, New Zealand Law Society
Te Kāhui Ture o Aotearoa
Read on
Special Report
Home
Bio
Milestones
Profile
Milestones
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
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Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
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Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
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Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
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Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
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2001–2004
2007–2012
2015–2016
2015–2019
2011–2021
Jacque Lethbridge
Partner, Martelli McKegg
President, New Zealand Law Society
Te Kāhui Ture o Aotearoa
Read on
Special Report
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Milestones
2011–2021
2015–2019
2015–2016
2007–2012
2001–2004
2011–2021
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
Chair of Auckland Community Law Centre
The Board was the winner of the 2017 Governance Organisation of the Year at the Women on Boards Awards, where she was recognised as an Emerging Leader
NZ Most Influential Lawyer in 2021
2011–2021
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2015–2019
Human Resources Magazine | key media
Co-founding Chair of Women in Restructuring and Insolvency and recognised in 2020 by WIRI as a female leader in the industry
2015–2019
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2015–2016
Human Resources Magazine | key media
Restructuring and Insolvency Turnaround Association of NZ Board (RITANZ)
Joined Lowndes as first female partner in 2016
2015–2016
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2007–2012
Human Resources Magazine | key media
Council Member of the Auckland District Law Society
First female partner at Grove Darlow & Partners in 2012
2007–2012
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2001–2004
human resources | key media
Waitangi Tribunal
Criminal Lawyer Ministry of Social Development and Public Defence Service, 2004–2008
2001–2004
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Milestones