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
From a young age, Evelyn Jones knew she wanted to work in the legal profession. As the first lawyer in her family and extended family, she didn’t have much guidance on how to succeed or what to expect.
Undaunted, she carved her own path and learned to embrace change and life’s unexpected twists and turns. Today, Jones leads Lane Neave’s banking and financial services practice, managing a team recognised by international legal directories.
“I have no doubt that I wouldn’t be here today if my career path had followed a straight line,” she says. “I genuinely believe opportunities exist everywhere if you are open to them.”
When she joined the law firm seven years ago, she was tasked with building the specialist practice from scratch and leading its diverse team. Jones shared this blank canvas with her team from day one, and they successfully shaped the practice together.
“Having worked in large, private practices in New Zealand and internationally, it is easy to feel that you are contributing to someone else’s career and not necessarily your own,” she says. “I wanted to do things differently at Lane Neave by adding a different mindset to the mix – taking a heart-centred leadership style.”
In addition to joining the ranks of NZ Lawyer’s Elite Women of 2024, Jones was one of only 14 women in New Zealand recognised in the Women Leaders category by the international legal directory, IFLR1000. These prestigious titles honour her influence and changemaker’s reputation in the profession.
Jones credits much of her success to intuition, which she considers her strongest professional quality. While knowing the law is essential, her ability to read the room and understand the bigger picture allows her to offer meaningful and robust client advice that achieves the best outcomes.
As a woman in the legal profession, Jones is mindful not to label structural barriers as unique to women. Growing up as a Kiwi Asian, she was caught in a wedge of trying to preserve her culture and Malaysian-Chinese identity while also trying to fit in and not stand out.
She says, “Now, I don’t feel like I need to check myself in any particular box. I’ve also recently learned to reach out for new opportunities confidently.”
Whenever Jones feels hesitant, she remembers the wise words of a business mentor and friend, who told her to check in with herself to determine if she’s holding herself back.
“The practice of law has always been a passion of mine, and there’s no doubt it can be quite gruelling at times,” she says. “I’ve learned to fully embrace the challenges. I’m enjoying my journey and the relationships that I have and will continue to build along the way.”
Reflecting on the legacy she would like to leave, Jones points out she strives to positively impact a profession ingrained in traditional ways of doing things.
She says, “I’d like to encourage more diversity in the New Zealand legal profession and to lead by example, to show that there is more than one way of becoming a good leader. For the legal profession, diversity is crucial. We’ll then more genuinely reflect society as a whole, enabling us to serve our clients better.”
Level 8, 48 Shortland Street, Vero Centre, Auckland 1010
+64 9 905 1775
evelyn.jones@laneneave.co.nz
linkedin.com/in/evelyn-jones-343b3074
laneneave.co.nz
Evelyn Jones
Partner
Lane Neave
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“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
2001–2006
2006–2007
2007–2009
2009–2017
2017–present
Solicitor and Senior Solicitor at Russell McVeagh
2001–
2006
Associate at Mayne Wetherell
2006–
2007
Associate at Allen & Overy
2007–
2009
Senior Associate at Buddle Findlay and one year in-house
2009–
2017
Partner at Lane Neave
2017–
present
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.”