Stand by Me: Help me cover court-ordered fees

I am an employment advocate with a Master of Laws (Hons) and am admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the High Court, with six years' experience in employment disputes representation. In New Zealand, you do not need to be a lawyer for employment law matters, and therefore, after a negative employment experience, I chose to became a self-employed "employment advocate" in 2020, where my personal and professional identity flourished.

I was diagnosed with ADHD and Autism, and found that self-employment worked well for me. Now self-employed for over four years, I have frequented the Employment Relations Authority and the Employment Court, as both a legal aid provider and a private representative. I pride myself on offering various options to parties in employment disputes, ensuring they can effectively access justice.

In 2022, I applied to the NZ Law Society to become a self-employed lawyer to formalize my experience and broaden my legal career. Unfortunately, the Law Society declined my application, citing a lack of "legal experience" (which they defined as requiring supervision as an employee). I unsuccessfully challenged their decision in the High Court, resulting in legal fees of $10,156 and disbursements of $297.14 to be paid to the Law Society.

Substantive decision: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dkVaaDt_-NAhmlmMHZ_V_f9D8J_muwog/view?usp=drive_link

Costs decision: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dfdveT8YLIiKdhIF1agIYldI7iJnuXeh/view?usp=drive_link