Echo Haronga

Echo is from Ngāti Kahungunu iwi, born in and raised in Palmerston North. In 2012, Echo was admitted to the bar following her graduation with a conjoint degree in law and history at Victoria University of Wellington, and has worked exclusively as a criminal lawyer since then.

After graduating Echo worked as a Police prosecutor for three years in the Wellington District Court and later in the Waitakere District Court. During that time she enjoyed specialist work with the Alcohol and other Drug Treatment Court Pilot, and also helped develop an alternative to formal prosecution for low-level family violence offending. 

Since becoming a defence lawyer in 2015 Echo has used her breadth of experience with Police procedure and instinct for capturing the weakness in a Police case to the advantage of her clients. She seeks to empower her clients to be able to access justice on their terms. She is also a strong advocate for Māori and is a speaker of Te Reo Māori and welcomes any request from clients for her to use Te Reo Māori in Court appearances, to follow tikanga in hui, or involve whānau in sentencing hearings.

Echo appears on all criminal matters including traffic, drink driving and limited licence applications, dishonesty, violence and family violence cases. She acts on private instruction through an instructing solicitor or on legal aid.