Luke Cunningham Clere has a long association with public service. Our story began in 1929 when Arthur Luke’s partner in legal practice, Robert Kennedy, was appointed as a Supreme Court Judge. Arthur Luke then set up a new legal partnership, with his brother-in-law William Cunningham and his cousin Frederick Clere. Luke Cunnningham Clere was born.

In 1936 William Cunningham was appointed Wellington Crown Solicitor. He was an exceptional man. He was in command of the Wellington Regiment at Gallipoli, then commanded the Regiment on the Western Front. In World War Two, as Major General, he led the New Zealand forces in the Pacific. After he returned to the firm he was elected President of the New Zealand Law Society. Sir William Cunningham was knighted for his services to law in 1955.

We’re extremely proud of our history, those who founded the firm and their belief in the power of the law to protect and promote the public interest. We hold those same beliefs today, helping clients throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.

We have remained as the office of the Wellington Crown Solicitor since Sir William’s appointment. While our core business is the prosecution of criminal offences, we also act on a range of civil proceedings and advisory work, focusing on public law, human rights issues, professional discipline and regulatory enforcement. In April 2022 we opened an office in Auckland - Tāmaki Makaurau to support our growing national client base.

Ours is a principled approach and it means we attract outstanding legal minds. Our highly experienced team work with individuals and public entities in true partnership. We are focused, flexible, determined and committed.

We’ve always tried to reflect what’s great about Aotearoa New Zealand – hard work, a sense of community, going in to bat for what we believe in, and a straight up approach. We embrace the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Te Ao Māori, we’re proud to support the rainbow community and first had an equal gender split in our partnership in 2016. We’re a team with diverse perspectives which adds to our strength.

In 2022 we launched our pro-bono practice. We have partnered with the RSA, Fencing NZ, Community Law Wellington & Hutt Valley, the NZ arm of a major international children’s charity, VERI-Mi and others to use our knowledge and skill to help those in our community who need it. In 2024, we became founding signatories to the Framework for Collaborative Pro Bono, an innovative, profession-led initiative dedicated to supporting and promoting pro bono within law firms across Aotearoa..

We are net carbon zero certified by Toitū Environcare. This programme requires us to meet and exceed international standards and best practice, including ISO 14064-1 and the GHG Protocol. It also means our carbon footprint, emission reductions and offsets have been independently verified.

We always give our best to become trusted advisors to our clients, delivering great work that delivers strong outcomes and elevates the public good.

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