November has a way of turning busy into something a little more chaotic. So this edition leans towards simplicity. You’ll see clearer headings and a streamlined layout, making at least one thing easier at this time of year.
Across this edition’s features, one theme kept surfacing: clarity is most effective when it's grounded in connection. Louise Rooney, Precinct reflected on keeping people and balance at the centre of leadership; the 2degreeslegal team showed how curiosity can make fast-moving work feel more manageable; and the learning spotlight on the Harvard Leadership in Corporate Counsel program reinforced the value of aligning legal effort with strategy rather than being stretched in every direction. Our Navigating the unwritten rules series echoed this too; influence comes less from the org chart and more from timing, trust, and connection. And if you’re after a bit of clarity on the tech front as well, you can register for our final learning session of the year, Demystifying AI: a practical introduction for in-house lawyers.
People – Leaders and teams, in their own words
SPOTLIGHT: Louise Rooney, Precinct
When your work shapes city skylines, collaboration matters. Louise Rooney, General Counsel at Precinct, shared how her team navigates the creative–commercial balance of major developments, keeping people, relationships at the centre.
Fresh from winning the ILANZ People and Culture Excellence Award, the 2degrees legal team shows how curiosity, humour, and mutual support can power a fast-moving business. Louise Henderson, General Counsel & Head of Risk, talked about experimenting together and staying people-centred through change.
Learning – Ideas and conversations we can explore together
JUNO LEARNING: Demystifying AI - practical AI insights for in-house lawyers
Free, 1-hour CPD, lunchtime session with Dr Andrew Chen, breaking down what AI really is (and isn’t) in approachable, practical terms. You'll get to step into the shoes of a Large Language Model (LLM) to see how AI “thinks”, explore the different types and uses of AI, and consider where AI meets law and ethics. Register for this session - Thursday 27 November, 12-1pm
LEARNING SPOTLIGHT: Harvard's Leadership in Corporate Counsel
Our Learning Spotlight features ideas from in-house lawyers who step outside the day-to-day to learn and reflect. Elise O’Halloran, Head of Legal and Commercial at Enatel, shares insights from Harvard’s LCC program and how she’s applying them back in Aotearoa.
JUNO LEARNING: Navigating the Unwritten Rules Summary
How does influence work in practice? Across the motu, in-house leaders gathered to discussthose unwritten rules, from reading the room to knowing when to speak up and when to step back.
LawFest is one of those legal conferences we keep coming back to! It’s a day full of insights for legal professionals looking toinnovate, adapt, and work smarter, regardless of their role, experience, or organisation size. See the full programme here.
11 + 12 March 2026 | Viaduct Events Centre, Auckland | Earn up to 5+ CPD hours We’re fortunate to offer our Juno community a $200 discount on tickets (including access to the Expo and networking function on 11 March). 👉Register with the JUNO200 code
Check it out — we’d love to see you there!
Resources – Practical and useful
OFFICE HACK: Outlook email templates
When you’re sending the same emails on repeat, Outlook's email templates can streamline this - great for those repeated tasks at a busy time of year. Here's how to use it:
In New Outlook: Open a new email, write your message, then go to Options > Mail Templates > Save as template. To reuse it, head to Home > New > Mail from template, choose your saved version, tweak if needed, and send. Find more details, including steps for classic Outlook, here.
Unity Books' November bestseller listfeatures David Szalay’s Flesh (2025 Booker Prize), Patti Smith’s Bread of Angels - The Spinoff's handy resource for curating that perfect holiday reading list.
That’s us for this late-spring edition of Juno Counsel. We’ll leave you with a small moment of optimism: our Team Snap of Juno lawyer Luana D'Appollonio smiling in the spring rain on the Routeburn.
Ngā mihi o te wā, take care, and we’ll see you back here in February.
Ka kite anō,
This was delivered to members of our Juno Counsel mailing list, or maybe a kind friend forwarded it to you.
Juno is a leading provider of on-demand legal services and flexible in-house lawyers, actively supporting Aotearoa's in-house legal community. Get in touch today to discuss options for experienced in-house legal support on an interim basis, embedded within your team, or on a managed legal services basis.
Juno Legal, Level 6, 44 Victoria Street, Wellington, 6011, New Zealand, 04 8854958
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