Rangitāne, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tahu, Pākehā, Cherokee Nation
Judge Aidan Warren was appointed to the Māori Land Court on 30 September 2021. Based in Hamilton, he is the resident judge for the Aotea District of the Māori Land Court hearing cases in Whanganui, Te Hāwera and New Plymouth.
Judge Warren graduated with a Master of Laws from Te Piringa – University of Waikato in 2000. He was in private practice for nearly 22 years at Hamilton law firm, McCaw Lewis. In 2008 he was appointed as a Partner and then a Director when the firm incorporated in 2011. He was also the Managing Director from 2011 to 2021.
He has acted for a number of Māori clients across the country on a wide range of issues affecting whānau, hapū and iwi. He has specialised in Māori legal issues including Treaty settlements, post-settlement governance advice for iwi groups, Māori land law, resource management, Waitangi Tribunal and general public law disputes, appearing before various Courts.
He is an accredited and experienced Mediator and has been involved in mediations both in Aotearoa and Samoa, both as a mediator and trainer for a number of years. He is also a former Tūmuaki Tāne of Te Hunga Rōia Māori o Aotearoa.
Judge Warren is married to Professor Tafaoimalo Leilani Tuala-Warren who was formerly a Justice of the Supreme Court of Samoa and they have four tamariki, Tatiana, Phillip, Mahinaarangi and Misiviliamu.