Darryn Aitchison – Te Ara Ture Director

Worked in community law centres since 2008, including managing Auckland Community Law Centre from 2016-21. In 2017 Darryn established the Litigant in Person Pro Bono Pilot service at Auckland Community Law Centre in 2017 (a precursor to Te Ara Ture). Darryn has researched effective pro bona practice, developed strong relationships with community law centres and the profession, and believes pro bono can make a significant contribution to CLCs and the promotion of access to justice.

Lee Di Fillippo – Te Ara Ture Development officer

Lee DiFilippo is a United States and New Zealand licensed lawyer who has a passion for using her legal skills to ensure everyone has easy and affordable access to justice.

Lee is an in-house lawyer/development officer for Te Ara Ture – New Zealand’s pro bono clearinghouse referral program where New Zealanders in need are matched with lawyers who desire to provide pro bono legal services. She is also a board member for Nelson Bays Community Law.

Prior to working for Te Ara Ture, Lee was a litigant-in-person development officer for the Auckland Community Law Centre where she assisted in developing a litigant-in-person pro bono service to offer free legal services in the areas of bankruptcy and employment.

Lee’s legal experience in the United States includes international human rights advocacy before the lnter-American Commission on Human Rights in Washington, DC, and impact litigation to break down systemic barriers to justice in the Texas court system. In her spare time, she loves backpacking her way through beautiful Aotearoa/New Zealand.

Rupert O’Brien – Law Reform Coordinator

Rupert has been a solicitor at Community Law Otago since graduating from Otago University in 2020. He continues this mahi in conjunction with his role as law reform coordinator in the areas of immigration, housing, social welfare, and access to justice. Rupert has practice experience in the tenancy, social welfare, and employment law, and enjoys being able to operate on the practice of law to assist individuals while working with CLCA to achieve broader law reform. Rupert lives in Ōtepoti Dunedin with his wife.

Karen Hodgson – Law reform Coordinator

Before joining CLCA Karen worked at Community Law Wellington and Hutt Valley in 2015/16 and 2018/19 and prior to that, in the public sector (MoJ and MFAT). In the early days of her career, Karen worked in private practice in litigation. Karen is passionate about the work of CLCs in Aotearoa, and is enjoying the law reform role because of the systemic change that we are involved in making for our clients. Karen lives in Petone, Wellington with her husband and three kids.

Stacey O’Neill – Interim Kaitakawaenga Coordinator

Ngāpuhi

Access to Justice was a motivating factor for Stacey to attend Otago University to study law and a BA. During the time she was at Otago she was involved with the Ngāi Tahu Law Centre, Dunedin Community Law Centre, Arai Te Uru Marae Council, and various Hauora (Health) NGOs during this time. Once admitted, Stacey worked for the Marlborough Community Law Centre and then moved to the Wellington and Hutt Valley Community Law Centre to work in the Kaupapa Māori Team, Pou Whirinaki. Stacey is currently a Co-manager at the Wellington and Hutt Valley Community Law Centre. Stacey has been on the Ngā Kaiawhina Hāpori Māori o te Ture (NKHMT) Executive since 2015 and has been the co-chair since 2019.

Marree Kereru- Interim Kaitakawaenga Coordinator

Ngāti Mahuta, Ngāti Raukawa

Marree joined CLCA with Stacey O’Neill as interim Kaitakawaenga in 2022. She is currently the Kaupapa Māori Lawyer at the Tairāwhiti Community Law Centre and also Co-Chairs Nga Kaiāwhina Hapori Māori o te Ture (Māori Caucus) alongside Stacey O’Neill.

Prior to working for the Tairāwhiti Community Law Centre, Marree worked for Woodward Chrisp Lawyers in Gisborne for 3.5 years in their commercial/property team where she specialised in Māori Land Law, Trusts, general property/commercial and estate planning. She has also worked for the Māori Land Court in Christchurch and Hastings.

Jessica Durham – Alcohol Harm Reduction – Coordinator

Jess started her career in the legal industry for 11 years, then moved into local government as an Advisor for the governance team and Project Managed a software build and implementation, she has also worked with tangata whenua in co-governance forums and within settlement entities. Jess now manages CLCA’s Alcohol Harm Reduction Project (funded by Te Whatu Ora) as the National Coordinator – Community. She is particularly passionate about social justice & equitable outcomes for Maori. Jess lives in Omokoroa with her young whanau and loves to spend her free time on creative outlets.

Katie Burke – CMS administrator

Katie Joined CLCA in 2021 on a temporary contract to cover Shaimaa white she went on maternity leave. She has since moved into the permanent role of CMS Administrator providing support to
CLCs with actionstep and reporting on the data collected to the board, MBIE, MoJ and to assist in Law reform. Katie has a background of book keeping and accounting work along with a range of customer service experience. Katie lives in the Wairarapa with her husband and daughters.