Pathways in the law outnumber men considerably and the only principal is John. “Everybody here works their own cases. We’re a bit different because I’m the only partner. My son, who is the practice manager, isn’t even a partner.” So it’s an egalitarian playing field at the law practice? “It is. In fact some of the women lawyers who work here are earning more than the males,” he says. Mr Miller says it is not about people being elevated to more senior positions as everyone is doing similar work.
Staff get to work Court of Appeal cases, usually reserved for more experienced lawyers
4 November 2016 · LawTalk 900
❝ I don’t have a special office. It’s all open plan and you can wear what you like here. You can be in bare feet, except if you have to go to court, we dress up for that
“I’ve brought some of my staff into Court of Appeal cases and that’s usually something that only really experienced lawyers will get to do. I guess many lawyers would see that as a great opportunity to put on their CV, but then most of my staff will stay with me for at least five years. “They get good experience here, court work right away, whereas I think many law firms do tend to keep the court work for the partners. You get your own file and you get support here,” he says. Mr Miller’s even handed work philosophy means that often if someone begins work on a serious case, they’ll stay on it regardless of whether they’ve had two years’ experience or 20. John Miller Law also deals with criminal and mental health law and the firm was recently before the District Court for an eight-day jury trial in relation to methamphetamine and the confiscation of a man’s house. “Often it’s a matter of chance who does the work. Brittany Peck (a solicitor) did the initial work on the case so we did that trial together,” he says. The egalitarian experience at John Miller Law is also in the fabric of the desk layout. “I don’t have a special office. It’s all open plan and you can wear what you like here. You can be in bare feet, except if you have to go to court, we dress up for that,” he says. And while the casual dress sense might irk some people, as John Miller explains, his lawyers have an excellent reputation. “We’re not trying to make out we are something that we’re not. We’re not interested in conveyancing work. Our interest is in helping people and people come to us from all over the country,” he says. John Miller Law Mr Miller says his firm is slowly steering away from Address Level 1, The Hannah Warehouse, criminal law work, mostly because the hours put in don’t 13 Leeds Street,Te Aro, Wellington match the pay at the other end of legal aid work. Principal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Miller “You get $200 and sometimes it makes my heart weep Practice manager/solicitor. . . . Jonathon Miller considering the number of hours we put in. In saying that Finance manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . Donovan Miller we are not the sort of business where I’m saying you must Solicitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christina Billing get these many cases this year.” Angela Brown Trust – a powerful tool that works Hunter de Groot Katty Lau Trust between Mr Miller and his staff is a powerful tool Brittany Peck that works. Elizabeth Bransgrove “When we were getting a couple of million dollars of Anna Kokje earthquake strengthening work done and couldn’t work Louise Newman here, people worked from home. It’s the way I’d like to Beatrix Woodhouse be treated. People trust me to do my work and so I do the Law clerks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Louisa De Montalk same and they get the job done,” he says. Due to be admitted Charlotte Kerr So the law firm works like a family business and every in December Tom Lynskey Friday they have pizza and wine. One of the 10 women who are lawyers at John Miller
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