Mai Chen
Encyclopedia
Mai Chen is a prominent constitutional lawyer in Wellington
, New Zealand
.
She is a founding partner of the law firm Chen Palmer, alongside former New Zealand Prime Minister
Sir Geoffrey Palmer.
, where she became a head girl and was awarded Dux.
She obtained her law degree with first class honours from the University of Otago
, and was admitted to the bar in 1986. In 1988 she was awarded a Masters degree from Harvard University
. She is married to John Sinclair and has one son.
' International Labour Office in Geneva
. In 1989, Chen took up a lectureship at the law school at Victoria University of Wellington
, and wrote her first book on the discrimination of women. In 1990, she chaired a government review on the Policy of Excluding Women from Combat, and in 1992 she became the youngest senior lecturer in Law in New Zealand at that time. In 1993, she co-authored Public Law in New Zealand with Sir Geoffrey Palmer, which was published by Oxford University Press, and in 1994 left academia to become a lawyer for Russell McVeagh
, but left after a year mortgaging her house for cash to set up Chen and Palmer with former Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer.
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
She is a founding partner of the law firm Chen Palmer, alongside former New Zealand Prime Minister
Prime Minister of New Zealand
The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...
Sir Geoffrey Palmer.
Early life
Chen was born in Taiwan in 1964, and moved to New Zealand at the age of six in 1970. She was a student of Otago Girls' High SchoolOtago Girls' High School
Otago Girls' High School is a secondary school in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. It was opened 6 February 1871, after a long campaign by educationalist Learmonth Whyte Dalrymple...
, where she became a head girl and was awarded Dux.
She obtained her law degree with first class honours from the University of Otago
University of Otago
The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest university with over 22,000 students enrolled during 2010.The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it...
, and was admitted to the bar in 1986. In 1988 she was awarded a Masters degree from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. She is married to John Sinclair and has one son.
Career in law
Chen went to work at the United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
' International Labour Office in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
. In 1989, Chen took up a lectureship at the law school at Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a former constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for its programmes in law, the humanities, and some scientific disciplines, but offers a broad range of other courses...
, and wrote her first book on the discrimination of women. In 1990, she chaired a government review on the Policy of Excluding Women from Combat, and in 1992 she became the youngest senior lecturer in Law in New Zealand at that time. In 1993, she co-authored Public Law in New Zealand with Sir Geoffrey Palmer, which was published by Oxford University Press, and in 1994 left academia to become a lawyer for Russell McVeagh
Russell McVeagh
Russell McVeagh is one of New Zealand's leading law firms. Along with Bell Gully and Chapman Tripp, it is considered to be one of the "big three" firms of New Zealand....
, but left after a year mortgaging her house for cash to set up Chen and Palmer with former Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer.
Books and publications
- Women and Discrimination: New Zealand and the United Nations Convention (1989)