Profile
“I will continue to empower and encourage my staff to perform at their best as I have done for the last decade. I will continue to advocate for my clients, embracing new technology and being open to business and industry changes”
Ken Dixon,
Dixon Insurance Services
With over 30 years of experience in public and administrative law, regulatory defense and central and local government problem-solving, Mai Chen has an impressive career that has included working with former prime ministers, publishing several books on public law and trailblazing the impact of superdiversity on courts, law and policy.
She previously served on the New Zealand Securities Commission for two terms and spent seven years as a director on the Bank of New Zealand Board. She was also an adjunct professor at the School of Business and the law faculty at the University of Auckland for many years. Now a barrister at Public Law Toolbox Chambers, she is considered one of the country’s foremost experts in her fields of expertise.
Throughout her longstanding career, Chen has handled cases involving the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 and Treaty of Waitangi issues, as well as education, employment, regulatory law, law reform and white-collar fraud. Having emigrated to New Zealand at six and a half years old, she found herself part of the first Taiwanese family in the South Island.
She now serves as the chair of the Superdiversity Institute of Law, Policy, and Business and as the president of New Zealand Asian Lawyers, both of which she founded. She shifted to Auckland from Wellington almost 11 years ago, aiming to plug the gap she saw in the lack of a superdiversity framework in the courts, law, public policy and business. She was the managing partner of the law firm Chen Palmer for 29 years.
Level 10, 63 Albert Street, Auckland, CBD 1010
021 565 709
mai.chen@maichen.nz
linkedin.com/in/mai-chen-8a976a7
publiclawtoolboxchambers.nz
Mai Chen
Barrister
Public Law Toolbox Chambers
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Milestones
“To be able to give back to the community is rewarding and fulfilling. I am honoured to be in a position where I can raise funds for those less fortunate and in need”
Ken Dixon,
Dixon Insurance Services
1987–2009
2007–2011
2012–2013
2014–2022
2021–2023
1987–1998: Frank Knox Memorial Fellowship to study at Harvard Law School
1988: Ferguson Human Rights Fellowship; scholarship granted by the Harvard Human Rights Program to be a fellow at the international labour office in Geneva working on the UN Women’s Convention and the ILO Indigenous People’s Convention; Irving Oberman Memorial Award: Best Human Rights Thesis at Harvard Law School
1989–1990: Chaired the tri-departmental review of the policy into women in combat
1989–1993: Lecturer and Senior Lecturer at Victoria University of Wellington Law School and also taught the Master of Public Policy
1994: Established Chen Palmer Public Law Specialists with Sir Geoffrey Palmer; appointed to the Asia 2000 Foundation
2000: Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Management; Honourary Associate of the Auckland University of Technology
2001: Appointed by the Associate Minister of Justice to review the Privacy Act 1993
2004–2009: Appointed to the NZ Securities Commission
2005: Appointed to the Royal NZ Ballet Board of Trustees; appointed to then NZTE Beachheads Board
1987–
2009
2007–2011: Won the Best Public Law Firm in the New Zealand Law Awards on multiple occasions
2007–2008: Runner-up in the Best Boutique Firm category of the New Zealand Law Awards
2009–2010: Unlimited Magazine Top Influencer’s List
2010: Won the Best Boutique Firm Category
2011: Finalist in Employment Law in the New Zealand Law Awards; Next Magazine’s Business Woman of the Year; Inaugural Chair of Global Women; President of the Harvard Alumni Association
2007–
2011
2012: Supreme Judges Panel Award and Professional Excellence Award at the New Zealand Chinese Business Elite Awards; Runner-up in Best Public Law Firm in the New Zealand Law Awards
2013: Won the Best Public Law Firm in the New Zealand Law Awards; Business Entrepreneur New Zealand Women of Influence Award
2012–
2013
2014: Top 10 Finalist for New Zealander of the Year; published the first and second editions of Public Law Toolbox
2015: Founded New Zealand Asian Leaders
2016: Founded Superdiversity Institute of Law, Policy and Business; published the first and second editions of Public Law Toolbox; Global Diversity List: Top 50 Diversity Figures in Public Life supported by The Economist; Top 10 Finalist for New Zealander of the Year
2016–2018: Zonta Woman of the Biennium Award
2017: Finalist for EY Entrepreneur of the Year
2017–2022: Adjunct Professor at the University of Auckland School of Law and the School of Business; appointed to the Bank of New Zealand Board – Chair of People and Remuneration Committee, members of Audit Committee, Member of the Risk Committee, and Health and Safety Champion of the Board
2019: Published Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Parties in the Court – a Chinese Case Study
2020: Founded NZ Asian Lawyers
2014–
2022
2021: Recognised as one of NZ Lawyer’s Elite Women; recognised as one of NZ Lawyer’s Most Influential Lawyers
2022: Recognised as one of NZ Lawyer’s Most Influential Lawyers; became a barrister in September 2022
2023: Honourary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Otago (to be conferred on 16 December)
2021–
2023
Assistant Vice President and Senior Broker at MJ Hall & Company since 2018
Present
Milestones
Aug 2022
Milestones
Sept 2021
Feb 2022
Apr 2022
Jul 2022
Aug
2022
Suncorp Bank introduces Solar Home Bonus offer for customers who are choosing renewable energy for their homes
Sept 2021
Month-on-month market share growth commences
Feb 2022
Suncorp Bank wins the Canstar award for most outstanding value in investment loans
Apr 2022
Suncorp Bank wins Money Magazine’s Bank of the Year and Business Bank of the Year awards for the fifth year in a row
Jul 2022
Suncorp Bank’s turnaround times are the lowest they have ever been. The lender becomes Australia’s first certified carbon neutral bank for both its operation and transaction services
Aug 2022
Milestones
How does he distinguish himself among fellow brokers?
“I believe all brokers are working very hard in a difficult market,” he says. “However, I have demonstrated continued growth, advocacy and performance on my client’s behalf, which is now recognised [for 10 consecutive years] in the Elite Broker awards.”
In 1990, Dixon got started with FAI, working in claims and as a team leader. From the late 1990s up until 2003, he worked at FAI and Suncorp in underwriting and as an area manager at VACC, CGU (South East Queensland). From 2003 to 2012, he got into broking and eventually started Dixon Insurance in 2013. Since then, he’s accumulated numerous acccolades, including Elite Broker, Diversity and Equity, and Fast Broker awards.
During the pandemic, Dixon challenged insurers over the Quarantine Act application to insurance wordings. His argument was that the Quarantine Act does not apply as an exclusion, as the Biosecurity Act was invoked by the Morrison Government, and this was not a subsequent amendment to the Quarantine Act. The test case in the Appeals court was won for Dixon’s client with a unanimous five-judge verdict.
He remains focused on transport, manufacturing, motor trade, engineering and large farm clients.
What are his plans for the future?
On a business level, “more of the same. I will continue to empower and encourage my staff to perform at their best as I have done for the last decade. I will continue to advocate for my clients, embracing new technology and being open to business and industry changes.”
On a personal level, Dixon invests significant time, effort and funds, along with his GT3, to support many charities through his passion for motorsport. From participating in and sponsoring the Thunderbolt Run (which provides tens of thousands of dollars in support for Beyond Blue and Prostate Cancer), to organising and running the Track Knights for Amira charity night where 28 Exotic Supercars raised funds through passenger laps in wet conditions, Dixon states “this is our time to give back to the community and those in need. My friendships and association with those seeking to do the same, allows us to contribute to those less fortunate and raise funds and awareness”.
He adds: “To be able to give back to the community is rewarding and fulfilling. I am honoured to be in a position where I can raise funds for those less fortunate and in need.”