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A young woman who is neurodiverse has gone to the high court challenging the New Zealand Law Society’s (NZLS) decision to disallow her special consideration to practice law on her own account.
This comes after she said she faced adversity that negatively impacted her mental health when she was employed and did not complete a requirement to practise law on her own – which was a minimum of three years of legal experience.
Ashleigh Fechney, an employment advocate who holds a master of laws, represented herself in the high court on Aug 2 before Justice Robert Osborne at Christchurch.
Ashleigh the Advocate
Fechney – who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism – runs her own business, Ashleigh the Advocate.
Her claim to fame was when she represented those who were impacted by refusing to get the covid-19 vaccination.
Fechney believes she has met the standards to be able to practise law on her own.
However, the law society does not agree.
The NZLS's Dale Owens said there is a balance to consider about the practitioner's well-being and consumer protection as lawyers play a vital role in Aotearoa.
“The practice of law can be stressful, which is why we will consider what support a practitioner might need to be able to...
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