The New Zealand Law Society has elected its first woman of Pacific descent as President.
Gisborne lawyer Tiana Epati will take over from the current President, Kathryn Beck, who completes her three-year term in April 2019.
Her election means she will be the fourth woman to be President of the New Zealand Law Society.
Tiana Epati is currently vice-president, Central North Island of the Law Society and a partner with Gisborne law firm Rishworth Wall & Mathieson.
She was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in September 2000 after graduating from Auckland University with a BA in philosophy and history and an LLB
Ms Epati moved to the Crown Law Office in 2008 to work in the criminal law team before moving to Gisborne in 2012, where she has worked as a criminal defence lawyer with Rishworth Wall & Mathieson
She was President of the Law Society's Gisborne branch from 2014 to 2016 and was elected Vice-President, Central North Island in April 2016.
Her father Judge Semi Epati was New Zealand's first Pacific Island judge.