ALWU Conference 2026: Doing Justice In Aotearoa
Description
Join us for the inaugural ALWU Conference, a half-day event in Te Whanganui-a-Tara where we will hear from leading members of the profession about issues facing legal workers and the communities we serve.
The conference will feature a keynote address from Sandra Grey, President of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions, followed by a panel discussion with Wendy Aldred KC, Dhilum Nightingale, and Asher Emanuel. Together, they will explore the structures of our legal profession and how they help, or hinder, our ability to deliver justice.
The afternoon will conclude with the ALWU Annual General Meeting, followed by a chance to connect over drinks.
CPD hours: 2
Schedule:
1.30pm: Doors open
2.00–2.15pm: Co-presidents' welcome
2.15–3.15pm: Keynote address – Sandra Grey
3.15–3.45pm: Afternoon tea
3.45pm–4.45pm: Panel discussion – Wendy Aldred KC, Dhilum Nightingale and Asher Emanuel
4.45–5.00pm: Break
5.00–6.00pm: ALWU Annual General Meeting
6.00pm: Drinks at Southern Cross
Tickets:
Student/unwaged: $25
Waged (ALWU member): $50
Waged (non-ALWU member): $60
Senior member of profession: $100
Booking fees apply.
Speakers
Sandra Grey
Sandra was elected NZCTU President in 2025. She has been active in unions for over 30 years, of which two decades has centred on leadership roles in Te Hautū Kahurangi New Zealand Tertiary Education Union. Sandra began her working life as a radio journalist with Independent Radio News, before leaving journalism at 25 to study at the University of Auckland. After completing a PhD at the Australian National University, she returned to Aotearoa to teach at Te Herenga Waka | Victoria University of Wellington. While lecturing in social policy and sociology, Sandra became the Women’s Committee Chair of the Association of University Staff, then a vice president and president of the New Zealand Tertiary Education Union. Sandra was appointed to the role of National Secretary of TEU in 2021. Sandra’s career includes being the President of ANU’s Postgraduate And Research Student Association, the spokesperson for the Campaign for MMP, a board member of the Living Wage Movement Aotearoa, and includes appointment to a range of boards/councils in the tertiary education sector.
Wendy Aldred KC
Wendy is Wellington based Kings Counsel with a practice in civil litigation, public law and professional disciplinary matters. She has been a civil legal aid provider for many years and has conducted significant human rights litigation, including for refugees and prisoners. She appears before the courts at all levels as well as in the Waitangi Tribunal and other specialist jurisdictions. She is also regularly engaged by public sector agencies to conduct independent reviews and assist major inquiries.
Dhilum Nightingale
Dhilum Nightingale is a Wellington-based barrister, researcher, and migrant rights advocate with more than 25 years' legal experience. Over the past seven years, she has provided frontline advocacy and legal support in migrant exploitation cases through Community Law Wellington & Hutt Valley, helping migrant workers navigate employment, immigration, and access-to-justice challenges. She also advises on humanitarian immigration matters, and maintains a practice in environmental and resource management law. Dhilum is the author of two recently published research reports funded by the Michael and Suzanne Borrin Foundation, including Migrant Exploitation in Aotearoa New Zealand: Improving Employer Accountability, and report examining the experiences of ethnic and migrant women victim-survivors of family violence in the Family Court, along with a graphic novel. Dhilum is also the founder of VERI-Mi Charitable Trust, which has developed a free multilingual website and app that helps migrant workers understand their employment rights and securely record evidence of exploitation. In 2025, Dhilum was recognised as Community Impact Lawyer of the Year by the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Law Society.
Asher Emanuel
Asher’s legal practice focuses on human rights, public and administrative law, and government inquiries and investigations. He has appeared in the High Court, the Court of Appeal, the Waitangi Tribunal, and various specialist tribunals and has assisted many government inquiries. Asher has expertise in writing and editing for both specialist and general audiences, particularly the preparation of reports and other public documents for government organisations. His writing has been published in mainstream and technical publications, and he is the author of the recent non-fiction book, The Valley: Crime and Punishment in a New Zealand City (Bridget Williams Books, 2026). Asher joined the bar in 2018 as a junior barrister at Clifton Chambers before moving to Masons Lane Chambers in 2023. Previously, he worked as a judges' clerk at the High Court and an investigator in the Office of the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security. He also provides legal aid services for civil claims.
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