Disputes and regulatory practice
Moran leads DLA Piper's Litigation & Regulatory and Public Law practices in New Zealand, as well as its Life Sciences sector. Based in Wellington, she has more than 18 years of experience helping organizations handle major disputes, investigations, enforcement risks and regulatory change.
Her practice covers strategic risk and complex litigation, particularly for clients in financial services, life sciences and insurance. She has appeared at every level of New Zealand's courts and before specialist tribunals, and has extensive experience in commercial arbitration. Her life sciences work addresses developments involving medicines, medical devices, health tech and AI.
Explaining how those issues intersect, Moran said: "Much of my work involves helping clients navigate situations where the legal answer is only one part of the problem. In heavily regulated sectors, disputes, and regulatory issues often bring governance, reputational, and commercial considerations with them. Our role is to help clients cut through that complexity and find a clear, practical way forward."
She added: "I'm very grateful to be recognised by NZ Lawyer. The best work is collaborative, and I'm fortunate to work with outstanding clients and colleagues on issues that really matter."
Moran qualified as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand in 2008. That year, she also received an LLB and a BA in Philosophy, Political Science and International Relations from Victoria University of Wellington. NZ Lawyer previously included her in the Young Influencer category of its 2022 Most Influential Lawyers list.
Human rights advocacy and law reform
Human rights and access to justice have been central to Moran's recent pro bono work. She represented Make It 16 Inc in a successful Supreme Court challenge seeking declarations that the voting age was inconsistent with the right to freedom from age discrimination.
Her public law work also includes leading DLA Piper's submission to the New Zealand Law Commission's Ia Tāngata review of the Human Rights Act. The submission examined the operation of discrimination grounds, statutory exceptions and drafting approaches in employment, education and service delivery. In 2025, the commission delivered its final report to the government, and the report was presented to Parliament.
Earlier in 2026, Moran was named a finalist for the Inclusive Leader of the Year Award at the Diversity Awards NZ. That recognition acknowledged her inclusive advocacy, professional development work and substantial pro bono contribution to human rights and access to justice.
Laura Scampion, DLA Piper's Country Managing Partner in New Zealand, linked the Elite Women recognition to Moran's leadership and influence: "Emma demonstrates the kind of leadership we value at DLA Piper. She combines technical excellence in her legal practice with a willingness to contribute to bigger questions affecting New Zealand's legal system and profession. Her work in public law, law reform, and pro bono practice, together with the support she provides to colleagues coming through the profession, gives her influence well beyond her own practice. It is wonderful to see that recognised by NZ Lawyer".
Selection process and representation in the profession
Now in its sixth year, the Elite Women ranking recognizes women whose influence and sustained commitment have contributed to the legal profession. Nominations opened in June 2026, with the editorial teams at Australasian Lawyer and NZ Lawyer choosing the final group based on nominees' meaningful contributions.
The accompanying report highlights a difference between women's overall representation in New Zealand law and their presence in senior roles. New Zealand Law Society figures supplied for the report show that women accounted for 57.5% of lawyers in June 2026, but 43% of partners and directors—a 14.5-percentage-point gap. Provisional Law Society data cited in the report put the number of lawyers practicing in New Zealand at a record 18,018 on June 30, 2026.
The publications also surveyed nominees in June 2026. Among self-nominated winners who answered the relevant questions, 22 of 39 respondents, or 56%, reported a lack of women leaders for younger women to follow. Separately, 15 of 38, or 39%, believed they would have attained greater seniority or responsibility if they had not been female. On equal pay, 13 of 38 respondents, or 34%, said their firms lacked a policy requiring equal pay for the same roles regardless of gender.
