Samantha Allen
BARRISTER
Samantha is a care and protection Barrister. She specialises in family and mental health legal aid work and is committed to providing access to high quality legal representation to some of society’s most vulnerable. She helps her clients navigate the Family justice system with empathy, integrity and professionalism, ensuring they feel heard and respected. Samantha also represents children and young people as lawyer for child and youth advocate, and has been appointed as counsel to assist.
Samantha worked at legal aid while completing her law degree, then moved to Tauranga to begin her legal career working as a family legal aid provider. In 2019, she took up a role as solicitor for Oranga Tamariki in Nelson and the West Coast. From there, she became a Police Prosecutor, which included secondments to the role of Acting District Prosecution Manager for Tasman Police Prosecution Service. Samantha joined the independent Bar in 2023, practising in Nelson.
Qualifications and appointments
Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand, 2017
LLB, Victoria University of Wellington, 2016
BA (Gender Studies and Sociology), University of Otago, 2013
Legal Aid Approvals – Family, Mental Health, Duty Lawyer, Criminal PAL 1
Youth Advocate, Nelson
Lawyer for Child, Nelson
Awards and memberships
Courthouse Specialist Committee Member, New Zealand Law Society
Council Member, Nelson Branch, New Zealand Law Society, 2020-2025
Member, Family Law Section, New Zealand Law Society
Finalist, ILANZ Young In-House Lawyer of the Year Award, 2022
Wellington Women Lawyers’ Association Scholarship, 2014
Community engagement
Nelson Restorative Justice Trust Board, 2025
Nelson Suter Art Society, 2021–present
Salvation Army Volunteer, Tauranga, 2018–2019
Asia Pacific Model APEC Conference, Beijing, 2016
Youth Reference Group, NZ National Commission to UNESCO, 2013–2016
Secretary, Law for Change Wellington, 2014–2016
Branch Executive, National Council of Women Wellington Branch, 2015–2016
Branch Executive, Graduate Women Wellington, 2015–2016
National Board Member, YWCA of Aotearoa NZ, 2014–2015
Conference Assistant Director, UN Youth NZ Delegation to The Hague International Model United Nations (THIMUN), 2014–2015
Legal Human Rights Intern, Landmark Chambers, 2014
National Women’s Rights Officer, NZ Union of Students’ Associations, 2014
Women’s Officer, Otago University Student’s Association (OUSA), 2013
