Upon the invitation of Atty. Edgardo P. Atienza, a leading member of the Filipino community in Wellington, New Zealand, Philippine Ambassador Virginia H. Benavidez accompanied by Cultural Officer Ma. Victoria Reyes, Administrative Staff Hilario Reyes and Atty. Levy Strang, former Legal Officer of the Philippine Embassy attended the ceremony for his admission as a New Zealand Barrister/Solicitor of the New Zealand High Court on 27 March 2015 at the High Court of Wellington. It was a proud and inspiring moment when Justice Collins and Justice Brown called out the name of Atty. Atienza and his moving counsel solicitor Renato De Guzman requested the High Court for the admission of Atty. Atienza. In his remarks, Atty. Atienza conveyed his heartfelt gratitude to his wife, Mai and his family, to his colleagues in his office, to Ambassador Benavidez and the Philippine Embassy and to the Filipino community for all the support and understanding given to him during his educational journey and fulfilment of his goal to be a practicing lawyer in New Zealand. Atty. Atienza completed the requirements of the NZ Council for Legal Education to pass five parts of the NZ Law Practice Examinations and take one University paper within three years. He is also currently pursuing his Graduate Certificate in Law at the Victoria University of Wellington and would be graduating in December 2015.

On behalf of the Philippine Embassy Team and the Filipino community in New Zealand, Ambassador Benavidez conveyed heartiest congratulations to Atty. Atienza for reaching another significant milestone in his esteemed career in the legal profession both in the Philippines and his adoptive country, New Zealand. His discipline, dedication and determination to join the ranks of barristers and solicitors in New Zealand demonstrate the Filipino’s quest for excellence in their chosen field of expertise and highlight the Philippines as home to world class talents.

Atty. Atienza graduated from the San Beda College of Law in the Philippines in 2009 and became a lawyer admitted in the Supreme Court of the Philippines from 2010 until the present. He also earned a degree of Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration at the University of the Philippines in 2001. While in the Philippines, he worked as a Budget and Management Specialist in the Department of Budget and Management from 2002-2004, a Legal Consultant of the Department of Agrarian Reform from 2010-2011 and a Lawyer at the De Guzman San Diego Mejia Hernandez Law Offices from 2010-2011. He decided to migrate to New Zealand in 2012 where he first worked as Interviewer at the Citizens Advice Bureau from May-July 2012 and then as Property Officer, Legal of the Te Tumu Paeroa (The New Māori Trustee) in Wellington from July 2012 to the present.