A Tauranga lawyer helping to attract new legal talent to the Bay of Plenty has been recognised among the best young legal professionals in Australasia.

Cooney Lees Morgan associate Jasmine Daroch has been named a 2026 Future Legal Leader by Australasian Lawyer and NZ Lawyer – a highly competitive award recognising outstanding lawyers aged 35 and under who are making a significant impact on the profession.

Daroch, who relocated from Auckland in late 2024, is also one of the public faces of Priority One’s Work Life Tauranga campaign, which promotes the city as a destination where legal professionals can build meaningful careers while enjoying a balanced lifestyle.

Since moving to the region, Daroch has worked hard to establish strong local connections, regularly attending business networking events and sponsoring several community gatherings last year that attracted thousands of people.

Fluent in Punjabi, she has forged particularly strong relationships within Tauranga’s Indian community, providing culturally attuned legal advice and helping fill a gap in the local market.

Her role in the Work Life Tauranga campaign reflects those growing connections. As one of the campaign’s featured lawyers, Daroch helps showcase the scope and quality of legal work available in the Bay of Plenty and encourages talented professionals to consider making the move.

At Cooney Lees Morgan, Daroch works across a broad range of residential, commercial and rural property matters, as well as business sales, subdivisions, leases, and banking and finance.

Much of her work is complex, often involving high net-worth clients, large-scale developments, multi-tenancy commercial assets or bespoke lending structures.

Daroch said the recognition was both professionally satisfying and personally meaningful.

“It’s extremely rewarding to know that my hard work has been recognised,” she said.

“I’m hoping it will help me continue to grow and take the next step in my career.”

The award also carries personal significance following the recent loss of her father.

“I’ve always tried to make my parents proud because I wouldn’t have my degree today if it wasn’t for them,” she said. “It feels bittersweet that I can’t share this achievement with my dad, but I know he would have been very proud.”

CLM partner Matt Tustin said the award reflected Daroch’s talent and the value she brings to both clients and colleagues.

“Jasmine is a very impressive young solicitor. Her work is always of the highest quality, and she has exceptional skills in property, commercial and trust law.

“Clients love her, and we are thrilled to see her talents recognised at a national level.”

Daroch’s achievement marks the third consecutive year a Cooney Lees Morgan lawyer has been recognised in the Future Legal Leaders awards.

For Daroch, the appeal of working in Tauranga remains clear.

“The colleagues I work with are incredibly supportive, and CLM genuinely values work-life balance,” she said.

“Being able to help people achieve positive outcomes – whether it’s a commercial development or a first home – is one of the most rewarding parts of the job.”

-Content supplied by Cooney Lees Morgan