Brendan John Lawler was educated in Auckland and received an LLB from Auckland University and holds a New Zealand Law Society Practising Certificate. He commenced practice as a Law Clerk at Rennie Cox Garlick & Sparling, Solicitors, Auckland in 1979 and completed his LLB degree at the University of Auckland during that year. He was admitted to the bar the following year and practiced at Rennie Cox Garlick & Sparling as a solicitor until 1983. He worked in the United Kingdom for 2 years in various locum positions and returned to New Zealand in 1985 working briefly in private practice before setting up Lawler & Co at the beginning of 1987.
