The New Zealand Law Students' Association (NZLSA) is the parent body of the six on-campus Law Student Societies in New Zealand. It represents the interests of all law students across Aotearoa. Upon enrolling as a law student, you automatically become a member of NZLSA, alongside 9,000+ members across all six New Zealand law schools.

NZLSA is an advocacy body that provides a united voice on matters that affect all law students. NZLSA nominates two representatives to sit on the Council of Legal Education, established under the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006, and also makes submissions to Select Committees, Government Agencies, the Law Commission, and other organisations that allow for public consultation on important issues.

​Enhancing legal education is at the heart of what NZLSA does. NZLSA conducts an annual National Education and Wellbeing Survey, which has received nearly 2,000 responses in the last two years. We publish guides on important topics for all law students including our Law School Survival Guide and Clerkship Guide. In 2023, we relaunched the New Zealand Law Students’ Journal, which aims to publish high-quality research by New Zealand law students and provide opportunities for students to participate in the legal publishing process. 

NZLSA also facilitates the five legal competitions held on each campus annually; mooting, witness examination, client interviewing, negotiation and paper presentation. NZLSA negotiates with sponsors of the competitions and hosts an annual conference to provide LSS competition winners with the opportunity to compete for national titles.

OUR HISTORY

NZLSA has represented New Zealand law students since the 1950s, beginning as a collaborative body of law student society presidents who organised a national mooting competition and laying the foundation for its modern legal skills competitions programme. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, NZLSA evolved into an independent national organisation, strengthened its advocacy role, and secured statutory representation for law students on the Council of Legal Education. As New Zealand’s law schools expanded, NZLSA grew its executive structure, developed its annual conference, maintained close ties with Australian law student organisations, and launched initiatives such as Lex magazine in the early 2000s. Today, NZLSA operates as an incorporated charitable trust governed by its Constitution. It continues to connect law students across Aotearoa, provide support and valuable insights into our legal education, and facilitate national competitions for New Zealand law students.