Kaimahi Kōrero: Nicky McCool, Senior Legal Counsel

Meet Nicky McCool, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Rawa’s Senior Legal Counsel.

For Nicky, a career in law wasn’t always part of the plan. With no lawyers in her whānau and little idea of what the profession actually involved, it started as one of those decisions made as a 17-year-old, and somehow turned into a career she genuinely loves.

With a background in corporate and construction law, Nicky has worked across both private practice and in-house legal roles, including as legal counsel at Downer New Zealand. Most recently, she was based in London, working alongside major global names like Amazon, BBC, and TikTok.

But when it came time to return home, she was looking for something distinctly Aotearoa — a role with purpose and connection to people. That’s what drew her to Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Rawa and the wider Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei organisation.

Since joining as Senior Legal Counsel, Nicky has been involved in key projects including the sale of Eastcliffe Retirement Village, supporting the partnership with Tend Health for the ongoing operation of the Ōrākei Health Clinic, assisting with rent reviews across Te Tōangaroa, and supporting whānau housing arrangements.

She enjoys that no two days look the same, from marae hui and internal meetings to contract reviews and legal strategy. For her, good legal advice is simple: it should be practical, clear, and genuinely useful.

What stands out most is the impact of the work. The people benefiting from Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Rawa’s mahi aren’t distant stakeholders, they’re the people you see in the kitchen, on the marae, or grabbing coffee downstairs. That makes the work feel real, meaningful, and grounded in something bigger than legal paperwork.

Outside of work, Nicky is a keen cyclist and runner - although after a recent bike crash, she’s temporarily become more of a one-armed veggie gardener. She’s also enjoying rediscovering Auckland after years away, and making the most of the North Island beaches.

And for an interesting fact? She once cycled from Portugal to Denmark over two and a half months, with her whole life strapped to the back of her bike!