New Zealand saw a slight rise in active lawyers and improved legal oversight in 2024–2025.

The Law Society of New Zealand reported a 2.9% rise in practising lawyers to 17,504 in 2024–2025, with increased law reform submissions, modernized systems, and expanded consumer resources including a te reo Māori certificate version. It resolved 31 of 38 disciplinary cases, struck off seven lawyers, closed 1,386 complaints, and improved financial performance with a reduced net loss. Meanwhile, Australian law firms saw rising demand in AI, privacy, and compliance areas, driving growth in partner numbers and regulatory-focused practices.