Prue founded SHIFT in 2017. Her goal – to create a positive, disruptive force in the legal services market and, through modern work practices, offer clients and lawyers more flexibility, value and better work and life outcomes. Prue is an advocate of the legal profession offering different pathways for lawyers.
She has been practising law since being admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand in 2001. She has experience across a wide range of areas, in particular financial services law. Prue worked in major law firms, boutique firms and has also worked as an in-house lawyer at major banks.
Prue is active in the industry and community and is passionate about empowering women to participate in the workforce on their terms. She is a co-founder of various initiatives including Future Law Aotearoa Group, a group of alternative legal service providers, and RegTech NZ, which aims to provide a place for collaboration in using technology to assist with regulatory compliance obligations. These groups provide networking opportunities and support for different sectors within the community.
Prue was a former board member of Women in Super (since August 2020) and has worked with Tracey Cross and the FSC over the past few years, to lead the merger of Women in Super into the Financial Services Council, now known as the Empower Women initiative. Prue is passionate about DEI, and SHIFT recently partnered with Cogo Research Agency to carry out insights research across two issues, women in senior roles in the financial services industry, and Māori representation in the financial services industry, for INFINZ.
SHIFT has seen remarkable growth which underscores the demand for SHIFT’s innovative and flexible consultancy services. Prue’s vision has enabled SHIFT (together with its related company, SHIFT Compliance Limited) to provide high-quality legal, risk, corporate governance, ESG, compliance, and regulatory expertise, delivered by experienced senior lawyers and consultants who work efficiently and autonomously.
One of Prue’s major passions is to empower more women (and men) to remain in – the legal industry, on their terms. Through SHIFT, Prue has implemented flexible working arrangements that support Lawyers to work on their terms, promoting work-life balance and well-being, with 70% of SHIFT Lawyers working in part time roles less than 40 hours a week (in July 2024), normalising flexible working is core to our purpose and vision. Some of these initiatives have led to SHIFT being recognised as one of the Best Law Firms to Work for in New Zealand in 2023.
Outside of work, Prue loves to spend time with family, enjoys the arts and being in the outdoors, in particular ocean swimming year-round. She has three young children with her husband Luke and enjoys a catch up over coffee with friends.
