District Court Judge appointed

  • Hon David Parker
Attorney-General

Auckland barrister Faumui Penelope (Lope) Ginnen has been appointed as a District Court Judge to be based in Manukau, Attorney-General David Parker announced today.

Lope Ginnen is of Samoan (Safune, Tufutafoe, Leauva’a, Lefaga) and Pākehā descent.  She was admitted to the bar in 1991. 

She has been a barrister at Halcyon Chambers since 2005.  Before that she was at the Maori and Pacific women law firm King Alofivae Malosi founded by Judge La-Verne King; Ali’imuamua Sandra Alofivae and Judge Ida Malosi; and then a partner at KAM Legal.  Earlier in her career she was at Burns Hart & Co, Grey Lynn Neighbourhood Law Office and Russell McVeagh. 

She has presented at law conferences in New Zealand and Samoa; and is a member of the faculty of the Pacific Islands Litigation Officers Network Litigation Skills Programme.

Ms Ginnen has had a corporate governance career alongside her family law practice.  She currently sits on the boards of Auckland District Health Board; Vaka Tautua; Emerge Aotearoa; Brainwave Trust Aotearoa; Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra; Bruce Pulman Park Trust; the Community Advisory Group to the Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Courts; the Independent Advisory Group to Precision Driven Health; and Waka Hourua Maori and Pacific Suicide Prevention Programme. 

She has been the chairperson of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Maia Ltd, deputy chairperson of Housing New Zealand, and a board member of Hobsonville Land Company and the Counties Manukau District Health Board.

Judge Ginnen will be sworn in on 26 July 2019 in Manukau. She will also have jurisdiction as a Family Court Judge.