New Fellowships for outstanding legal professionals

The Michael and Suzanne Borrin Foundation has announced the launch of two new individual Fellowship awards that will be awarded annually, with a value of $200,000 per annum. These are the first of a number of fellowships, scholarships and grants for individuals that the Foundation will be announcing in coming years, to support and celebrate outstanding legal professionals working towards the Foundation’s vision of an Aotearoa New Zealand where everyone understands the role and value of the law, and enjoys the protection and opportunity that it provides.

Established in 2018 through a $38 million bequest by the late Judge Ian Borrin, the Borrin Foundation is a philanthropic organisation which supports legal research, education and scholarship. The Foundation’s current strategic focus is on the criminal justice system and family law.

Justice Goddard, Chair of the Borrin Foundation’s Grants and Scholarship Committee, says “we believe that investing in people can have a significant long-term practical impact on the way in which the law meets the needs and aspirations of New Zealanders.”

Two new fellowships will be available annually – the Borrin Foundation Justice Fellowship, and the Borrin Foundation-Community Law Fellowship.

Exceptional mid-career legal professionals are invited to design their own inquiry or project plan for the Borrin Foundation Justice Fellowship. The pool of funding available for this fellowship is $120,000, which may be awarded to one fellow or split into two.

Outstanding early to mid-career lawyers working at one of the 24 Community Law network’s centres are invited to design their own fellowship to build on their expertise and allow them to pursue new directions. The pool of funding available for this fellowship is $80,000 which may be awarded to one fellow or may be split into two or three.

Tupe Solomon-Tanoa’i, Chief Philanthropic Officer of the Borrin Foundation, says “we encourage applications from individuals who can demonstrate a passion for justice and the potential to drive innovation.”

Applications open on Wednesday 2 September 2020 and close at 5 pm on Friday 2 October.

More information on the eligibility criteria and how to apply can be found here https://www.borrinfoundation.nz/individualfunding/.