Former AG of Samoa, Lemalu Hermann Retzlaff, has been appointed the newly created
position of National Public Defender of New Zealand.
The position works as a part of the Senior Leadership Team of the New Zealand Public
Defence Service, led by Director Peter Hutchinson, and oversees the legal management of
the ten offices and some one hundred and sixty lawyers, working as counsel for members of
the community facing criminal charges.
The ten branches are located from Dunedin to the North Shore of Auckland and include
offices in Christchurch, Wellington, Hawkes Bay, Tauranga, Hamilton and four offices in
Auckland.
On confirming the appointment in January, Director of Operations and Performance, Ms
Elaine Hines confirmed that “Hermann displays all the competencies required of an
excellent leader. He is humble, collaborative, and values focused. He has excellent legal
competencies and is a strategic and reflective thinker. He has established strong working
relationships and will be an asset to the PDS Leadership Team.”
After completing his service in Samoa, Lemalu worked with his colleagues in the Crown
Solicitor’s Office, Kayes Fletcher Walker, before being appointed the Public Defender of
Waitakere in February 2021, a position he has held since. He started his legal career in New
Zealand with the Crown at Meredith Connell in 2005, before entering the public defence
service in 2009, where he served before his four year term in Samoa started 2016.
He credits family and community support for reaching this milestone and is looking forward
to the opportunity. “This is a team of gifted, dynamic and hard working lawyers and support
staff, and it is a privilege to be given the opportunity to work with them as we carry out this
important responsibility within the Justice sector. I am very blessed and grateful to my
family and friends for their unconditional support to date and onwards.”
He will be formally welcomed into the Auckland PDS office where he will be based, in early
February. As Ms Hines stated, “I know you will join me in congratulating Hermann and
supporting him in this new role which he starts on 7th February.”