Janey Haringa

30 July

Haven’t got much time on your hands? Click here to read the key points.

In this Pinnacle Post interview, Janey Haringa - founder of JH LAW - shares her journey in establishing one of Hamilton’s most trusted boutique law firms. Janey discusses the challenges and rewards of starting a service-based business, her unique approach to networking and client relationships, and practical advice for aspiring professionals in the legal industry. Whether you’re interested in law, small business growth, or personal stories of entrepreneurial success, this conversation offers valuable perspectives from one of Waikato’s leading legal minds.

Q: What did you want to be when you were growing up?

A: There was a lot of pressure to be a doctor. It seemed common for a first-generation New Zealand Taiwanese family; girls were destined to become doctors, and boys to become lawyers or engineers. My mum always pressured me towards medical school, so I started doing a biomedical science degree, but the doctor scene wasn't for me as I wasn’t the best at biology and chemistry. I was always better at English, calculus, and debating.

Q: You did a biomedical science degree, and then later a Masters in Bioscience Enterprise (an MBA-like program). When you were doing biomed, did you know then that it wasn't for you, or was that only upon reflection?

A: I instantly knew that I hated it in the first year. The lab environment, the harsh lighting - I didn't like it. But my family always drilled into me that if we start something, we must finish it, so I just knuckled down. In hindsight, I'm glad I stuck with it because now I feel like I have the language of science behind me which is super helpful when we have clients in the medical industry. They speak science and molecular biology, and I can better understand what they're saying. With the science, the MBA, and the law behind me, it's cool to leverage all three.

In hindsight, I'm glad I stuck with it because now I feel like I have the language of science behind me which is super helpful when we have clients in the medical industry.

Q: After the Bioscience Enterprise program, you gained experience in government investments and private equities. What was that time like, and what did you learn?

A: It was great. During the master's course, I worked for a bit with a venture capital firm in Auckland as their analyst. My job was to meet and interview founders, often doctors and engineers, and provide recommendations to the fund managers about who they should invest in. I loved the process of connecting with the founders, gathering data, and then presenting it back to the fund managers. Fund managers had millions of dollars to manage and had to decide which startups to invest in. In New Zealand, about nine out of ten startups typically fail, but that one percent might turn into the next unicorn.

Q: From an analyst's perspective, especially in private equity, how did you choose what companies to invest in?

A: It was probably less calculated than I expected as it was quite people-based. Startups often made grand statements about needing only 1% of the global market to become billionaires. However, the fund managers would often test or analyse the founders to see if they would be good people, good leaders, good at forming teams and good with customers - focusing on their soft skills. It was largely assumed that their technical product was great; where often the focus was on the people and how trainable they were. One of the red flags was if a founder thought they knew everything.

It was largely assumed that their technical product was great; where often the focus was on the people and how trainable they were. One of the red flags was if a founder thought they knew everything.

Q: You worked in government investments and private equity for one year and then studied law. Why law?

A: The lawyers we used at the time, I felt didn't always have the biomed background that I did with an appreciation for how long it can take to bring a medical product to market. Medical products can involve animal and clinical trials, taking 10-15 years for an exit, compared to software which could exit in 3-4 years. Medical was longer and higher risk so I thought there might be an opportunity for me to go to law school and fill that gap. The goal was to come back and service the same industry with a new set of skills.

Once I got into law, I realised there was an expectation to "do your time". I was so used to the business world where you could be a CEO in two years if you hit your KPIs. In law, there seemed to be a culture of needing to do your 10 years before becoming a partner, which I found quite discouraging.

Once I got into law, I realised there was an expectation to "do your time". I was so used to the business world where you could be a CEO in two years if you hit your KPIs. In law, there seemed to be a culture of needing to do your 10 years before becoming a partner, which I found quite discouraging.

Q: You definitely challenged that “10 year” status quo by going out on your own just four years after finishing law which is remarkable. Why did you go out on your own so quickly, and how did you manage it?

A: I credit the MBA. It taught me how to put together a business plan, how to budget, and how to not run out of money. This is a conversation I have with many lawyers who contemplate going out on their own. We're lawyers, we're capable in our practice areas, but being a business owner is an entirely different kettle of fish. Do we know how to read financial statements, budget, or market? If I hadn't had the business degree, I think I would have struggled. I wouldn't have known what to expect or how much things cost. You're putting on more than just a lawyer hat; you're also putting on a business owner hat.

This is a conversation I have with many lawyers who contemplate going out on their own. We're lawyers, we're capable in our practice areas, but being a business owner is an entirely different kettle of fish.

Q: Are you still a full-time lawyer, or have you stepped back a bit to focus on the business side?

A: Every day is different, and it fluctuates. Sometimes I'll have a four-hour day, sometimes a 20-hour day, and I'm okay with that. I don't think I was ever a very good 9-to-5 employee.

Q: As a service-based business, how did you get clientele, and was that a challenge?

A: Was it a challenge? Yes, but my mindset was that networking is just part of the job. In the first year, I counted over 300 coffees in my Google calendar. The structure was often two coffees a day, followed by a networking event in the afternoon. I didn't have massive budgets like other law firms, so I thought, "How am I going to get myself out there?" I had time, so I just bought everyone a coffee. It's amazing how much you can get to know someone in just an hour.

I would grab business cards at networking events, follow up, and say, "Hey, it was great to meet you, let's catch up for a coffee". People were quite open to it; it's relaxed and non-obligatory. Initially, it was challenging to convert those coffees into business. Looking back, it's still how we do things. It's gotten a little easier now, as our existing clients refer their friends and networks to us.

I had plenty of nerves and fear early on, but I just tried to mask it and put my best foot forward.

In the first year, I counted over 300 coffees in my Google calendar. The structure was often two coffees a day, followed by a networking event in the afternoon. I didn't have massive budgets like other law firms, so I thought, "How am I going to get myself out there?" I had time, so I just bought everyone a coffee. It's amazing how much you can get to know someone in just an hour.

Q: How long before you had a team around you?

A: The team's only been quite a recent thing. For the first two and a half to three years, I was on my own, and we didn't have an office; I just worked from home or cafes. It was only recently that I thought it was time to get some help, so we brought in my first employee, and that's when we got our office. That was probably quite a proud moment and a milestone - being able to afford to have someone else.

Q: What advice would you give to someone who wants to start a business?

A: I always say, "go for it," but with warnings. You need to have a really solid business plan. You want to truly know your numbers. You need to prepare for the business to be your life. With law firms, you can't afford 10 failed startups; you have to get it right from the beginning. I suppose it depends on the industry you're in, but planning, executing, and then adapting are key. Markets and times change, and you must be ready to adapt how you do business. Even with our commercial clients now, when we're putting together shareholder agreements, I tell them not to let it collect dust, but to keep referring to it and building on it.

You need to have a really solid business plan. You want to truly know your numbers. You need to prepare for the business to be your life. With law firms, you can't afford 10 failed startups; you have to get it right from the beginning.

Q: What would you say are your main career-defining moments that have shaped your success?

A: So many moments. It's odd having three degrees. I remember giving a speech to Year 13 students and telling them about my zigzag pathway to law - from biomedical science to the MBA to law school. My message was that no straightforward path leads to where you want to be, and don’t be afraid to pivot. All those experiences were necessary to get to where I am today.

Q: If there's one thing that enabled you and JH LAW to continue to grow and succeed, what would that be?

A: It's a little bit cheesy, but mission statements - knowing your "why" or your purpose. There are some days where it sucks, and you might think, "Why am I doing this? Should I just quit?" but that little voice in your head reminds you of that "cheesy as mission statement" to pull you back into focus. JH LAW's mission statement is "to help businesses become leaders in their respective fields." For us, leadership is more than just making the most money; it's about businesses that are really good at connecting with their team, their community, and their customers. If you have good connections and show good leadership with the people in your circle, internally and externally, the money should flow as a product. My "why" with medical school was just because mum said so. Now, mum seems okay with me being a lawyer.

If you have good connections and show good leadership with the people in your circle, internally and externally, the money should flow as a product.

Q: You also had a child during all of this. How do you manage that stress and life outside of work with such large responsibilities?

A: I have a really good husband. He's very helpful and the polar opposite of me personality-wise. I'm the extroverted, networking type, and he's quite happy to stay in. He's wonderful in helping me with our daughter, Ollie. I got pregnant in my first year of law school and I thought it was the best time to be pregnant because I didn't have to fill out leave forms or go on maternity leave. There was a creche on campus, so it was super handy - I could feed her, go to class, come back. It worked out great.

Managing family life is just part of the to-do list. I know there's talk about it being overwhelming, but my brain is like a little beehive. Every client, my family, everything I have to do, whether work or private, has its own little cubby hole, and everything is just organised and compartmentalised. Some days it's tough to keep it together. I try to switch off on the weekends and do no work. Stress and pressure are always there, but I don't feel too much emotional stress and I just try not to let it in.

Every client, my family, everything I have to do, whether work or private, has its own little cubby hole, and everything is just organised and compartmentalised.

Q: What are your thoughts on personal branding and networking, and what advice would you give young professionals around that?

A: It's so important. It's what sets us apart from everyone else. I remember a quiz by the Law Society asking what people look for in a lawyer. Decades ago, the top answers were years of experience, competence, and age. More recently, the top answers were a great communicator, upfront with fees, transparent, and personal attributes - the soft skills. The lawyer's practice competence was a given.

Now, more and more lawyers are going out on their own before that mystical 10-year timeline, and they're the ones personal branding and having coffees. Law is complex but doesn't change often.

When I was hiring for JH LAW, some key attributes I looked for were social skills, the ability to look people in the eye, speak to them, and relate. Our clients often aren't law graduates; they want people who won't condescend them, but who will relate, empathise, listen, and interpret legal terms. More lawyers are realising they don't need to be in a giant firm and wait 10 years to become a partner if they're confident in their practice area and can form good relationships with their community. It's good because it changes that old-school mentality of "big law". We may see more good students choosing smaller firms for more overall experience.

More lawyers are realising they don't need to be in a giant firm and wait 10 years to become a partner if they're confident in their practice area and can form good relationships with their community.

Q: What are your career highlights and lowlights specifically in law?

A: A lowlight, though it transformed into a highlight, was the shock of going from the business world, where you could be the boss quickly, to law, which was far more entrenched. The idea of waiting 10 years to be a partner was a moment of "wow". But being the challenger personality that I am, I realised the law only requires three years under someone before you can go out on your own. So, acknowledging that "this is the way things have always been done, but actually, let's try something different" was a highlight.

Another highlight would be marketing and growing both my personal brand and the JH LAW brand through my own voice. Social media has been a big part of that. When I started, I looked at what other law firms were doing on social media and the content was limited. I thought, "Let's add my face to it. Let me share a moment of my day, like a picture of a coffee or me at a cafe, and hashtag networking". I wanted to make it more relatable. I was always cautious not to offend anyone or disparage other firms. It was more about "this is what we do, and I enjoy it, and if you like that sort of thing too, let's catch up". It was sharing positive things organically, and people naturally came. We just keep trying to be consistent with that message and vibe, and it seems to extrapolate out to the community.

Q: You're on a bunch of different boards and committees. For young professionals keen to become get involved in boards and committees, what advice would you give them?

A: I would say jump in. I've had chats with boards I'm on about creating young people's subgroups or women-only subgroups, and I often vote against it. I believe that we should all just be in the same boat, talking to each other, regardless of age or gender. Too often at networking events, you see clusters of young people or women who just keep to themselves, and I think, "You can't do business with each other".

Too often at networking events, you see clusters of young people or women who just keep to themselves, and I think, "You can't do business with each other".

For young people wanting to get on boards, it should be to be part of making a bigger difference or representing their demographic. You’ve got to be on it for the right reason, not just to say you're a director. The first practical step to get on a board is to get voted in. For example, I'm the youngest person on my Chamber of Commerce board, and I was voted in.

For young people wanting to get on boards, it should be to be part of making a bigger difference or representing their demographic. You’ve got to be on it for the right reason, not just to say you're a director.

When I speak up on boards, I try to be more collaborative and respectful. The people on these boards are often highly respected and have spent decades making a difference. Even if I want to challenge something they've said, I'll always frame it with respect, such as, "I understand, but what about this?". If I'm putting forward a motion, I'll try to frame it as a question or make it less about me and more about ways to get buy-in from others particularly those who are more established or experienced in the room.

Q: Did you do an OE (Overseas Experience)?

A: I did a short three-month trip with my husband straight after our masters. Both my husband and I finished our masters at the same time, and we thought, "Let's go and do an OE". We bought one of those Star Alliance round-the-world tickets, which was such good value. We did a month in Asia, a month in Europe, and a month in North America. It was awesome.

Q: What advice would you give to someone thinking about an OE?

A: We did it before having a baby, which was convenient. I'd like to do it again, this time with our child. Our careers will continue, and I intend on having JH LAW for 50 years, just tracking along in the background. If anyone feels pressure to achieve certain things by a certain age such as having a career, a husband, or kids by 30 - I'd say, "Is that really necessary?". Don't stop connecting. You never know, you might be sitting in a cafe in Europe and meet the CEO of a multinational who offers you a job in New Zealand.

If anyone feels pressure to achieve certain things by a certain age such as having a career, a husband, or kids by 30 - I'd say, "Is that really necessary?". Don't stop connecting. You never know, you might be sitting in a cafe in Europe and meet the CEO of a multinational who offers you a job in New Zealand.

Q: What's next for Janey and JH LAW?

A: We'll just keep going. I know we're relatively "out there" on social media and look modern, but I still feel conservative. We're very cautious about who we bring on the team, what clients we take on, and what money we spend so it's about conservatively growing. I don't aspire to become a 100+ size firm; I'm happy to just stay boutique. My gut tells me we'll stick to Hamilton as our core headquarters, even though we service clients across the country. If we were to open other offices, I'd want leaders in each location who are comfortable being there for the long term.

Q: For young professionals starting their careers and thinking about their financial futures, what advice or wisdom can you offer?

A: I think with AI, things are changing really fast for all of our service industries. If we're in service industries, AI is going to impact so much of the grunt work we do. That tells me we're going to have to really boost our personal branding, because how else are we going to stand out from the rest of our service-based competitors? People will be picking those people that they can relate with, those with personal brands. So, how good of a story are you telling about yourself and what you do? Our technical skills as lawyers or accountants are likely just going to be taken for granted; AI will help us deliver those skills, so personal branding is huge. My company uses AI every single day for grunt work, and it helps us compete with larger firms. It's incredibly smart, but it can also get things really wrong, so you can't just rely on it for your whole life. Our clients still want a lawyer to have the final check over, so it's keeping us in a job.

AI is going to impact so much of the grunt work we do. That tells me we're going to have to really boost our personal branding, because how else are we going to stand out from the rest of our service-based competitors? People will be picking those people that they can relate with, those with personal brands.

Q: What advice would you give your younger self?

A: I would tell her “Don’t stress about having it all figured out.” The world's changing, our customers are changing, so we've got to change too.

Q: Finally, if neither time nor resources were a constraint, what ultimate goal or dream would you pursue?

A: I was going to say helping everyone start their own law firms or businesses. If time and money weren't a constraint, I would love to see more New Zealanders boost their confidence. I think if they had that extra bit of confidence in themselves and their businesses, they could reach so many more markets offshore. I think it comes back to that "tall poppy issue". Every time I go overseas, whether it's Australia or America, their confidence is inspiring. When I see them “shout from the rooftops” about what they do, especially when the rest of the world listens and trades with them. To see more NZ businesses become leaders in their field, globally, would be wonderful.

About JH LAW

JH LAW is a boutique law firm known for its approachable style and practical advice. Specialising in property, commercial, and private client work, the team at JH LAW prides itself on building genuine relationships with clients - taking the time to understand their needs and deliver tailored solutions. Whether you’re buying your first home, growing a business, or navigating personal legal matters, JH LAW combines big-firm expertise with small-firm care. For those seeking trusted legal guidance in Hamilton, JH LAW stands out for its integrity and commitment to client success.