ILANZ and MAS partner to support in-house lawyers

In-house lawyers will benefit from a new partnership agreement signed this month between the In-House Lawyers Association of New Zealand (ILANZ) and insurance and investments provider MAS.

While the two organisations have collaborated for several years, the new partnership will see the organisations work on a long-term programme of activities to support in-house lawyers and foster a stronger sense of community within this branch of the legal profession. 

MAS Head of Brand and Partnerships, Nicola Airey says this agreement will cement an already close relationship and begin an exciting new era of collaboration between the two organisations. 

"MAS and ILANZ have been close for a long time. MAS has sponsored the ILANZ In-House Lawyer of the Year Awards for five years, which celebrates the best minds in one of the most important branches of Aotearoa's legal profession."

"Now we're looking at a range of new events and education opportunities through which MAS can offer insights and entertainment for in-house lawyers. We'll be kicking our new programme off later this year once COVID restrictions wind down," says Nicola. 

ILANZ President, Grant Pritchard, says partnering with MAS is a chance to strengthen the in-house community and improve wellbeing by bringing in-house lawyers together for events that are inspiring, informative, and fun. 

"It's safe to say I'm excited to see this partnership come to life. One of our key priorities at ILANZ is helping in-house lawyers be better connected with each other, which is why partnerships with organisations like MAS are so important to us," he says. 

In-house lawyers often work by themselves or in very small teams, says Grant, so partnerships and networking opportunities give them a chance to connect with each other.

"Especially in this era when many of us are working from home and feeling isolated, it's important that we create opportunities for us to connect, learn together, and support each other."

MAS and ILANZ will be launching an events programme later this year, with a speaker series for ILANZ members featuring well-known and inspirational Kiwis.