Jennifer Caldwell is a senior partner at Buddle Findlay, a national New Zealand law firm, with a career spanning local government, environmental and resource management law, and international legal leadership.
In this snapshot video, Jennifer talks about how basic board room skills can apply for new board members and experienced chairs alike, such as the art of listening.
A natural organiser with a strong sense of responsibility to the organisations she belongs to, Jennifer’s leadership journey has been shaped less by a deliberate pursuit of governance titles and more by a consistent willingness to step forward when she believed she could contribute.
Take a deeper dive into Jennifer’s governance journey. In this video, Jennifer speaks about being brave enough to take the leap into governance and how it worked out for her, from community choir to legal firm. She provides advice on preparing for board meetings and how chairs can get the most out of everyone at the table.
Jennifer served four years as a member of Buddle Findlay’s board before stepping into the role of National Chair, a position she held for five years. She stepped down from the chair role in 2025 while continuing as a partner at the firm.
From leadership to governance
Buddle Findlay’s board is comprised of elected representatives from across the firm’s national offices, with the partnership also electing the chair. When a board vacancy arose, several of Jennifer’s partners encouraged her to put her name forward. At that point in her career, she was one of the firm’s most senior women, with a strong professional reputation, trusted relationships across the partnership and a solid working relationship with the chief executive and senior leadership team.
Recognising she had something meaningful to contribute, Jennifer put herself forward and was appointed unopposed. After three years on the board, the then chair approached her well in advance of his planned departure and encouraged her to consider stepping into the chair role. After reflection, Jennifer agreed – and once again, no one stood against her.
“There was no orchestrated campaign,” she reflects. “It was about taking opportunities as they arose, not chasing a title.”
A broader view of leadership
“I don’t really think about it as governance,” she says. “I think about it as leadership.”
Alongside her legal career, Jennifer has held leadership roles in a wide range of professional and community organisations. Early in her career, she served as President of the Auckland Women Lawyers Association. She has also contributed at a national level through the Resource Management Law Association, a professional body aligned with her area of practice. In addition, she has taken on leadership roles in smaller community organisations, including community choirs, both in New Zealand and overseas.
These roles were not chosen as strategic stepping stones, but because they aligned with her genuine interests and values. Jennifer believes passion for an organisation’s purpose is essential.
“You can’t be truly invested in the success of an organisation unless you care about what it’s trying to achieve.”
Learning through contribution
Looking back, Jennifer sees these leadership roles as formative. They taught her how to listen carefully, bring together different perspectives and work collaboratively toward solutions, whether the decision was as small as approving modest spending or as significant as addressing risks that could affect an organisation’s future.
Those skills, she notes, translated directly into her ability to lead a national law firm.
Why she was ready
Jennifer believes two factors contributed to her readiness for board and chair roles.
The first was leadership style. She is known for being thoughtful, strategic, inclusive and calm under pressure – qualities that organisations often seek in governance roles.
The second was credibility. By the time she stepped into board leadership, Jennifer was performing strongly as a senior partner. There were no questions about her financial performance or that of her team, which gave her the confidence and the capacity to focus on the bigger picture.
She notes that this is often where women hesitate. In a partnership environment, concerns are less about understanding financial statements and more about whether personal performance metrics are strong enough to justify stepping into a strategic role. Her advice is pragmatic – make sure your own patch is working well, then trust that you have earned the right to contribute more broadly.
How Jennifer approached the chair role
Jennifer’s approach to chairing was shaped by observing the two chairs who preceded her and learning from their different styles. When she stepped into the role herself, she was explicit with her board.
“I told them I wasn’t going to pretend to have all the answers.”
Instead, she committed to open, authentic communication and collective problem solving. If an issue didn’t have a clear solution, the board would work through it together. If she felt strongly about a direction, she would say so. But she always aimed to create an environment where people felt safe to speak, challenge ideas and contribute openly.
That approach proved effective. Feedback over her five-year tenure confirmed that board members felt heard, respected and aligned, even during periods of significant uncertainty.
Creating inclusive boards
For Jennifer, inclusivity around the board table is no different from inclusivity anywhere else in an organisation. People must feel safe from bullying or dismissiveness and confident that their perspectives will be respected.
She is a strong advocate for diversity in governance – not as a symbolic exercise but because different life experiences produce better decisions. Under her leadership, Buddle Findlay’s board shifted from being predominantly male to a female majority.
“When boards are too uniform,” she says, “you limit the range of solutions you can see.”
Women and readiness
Jennifer says that women often underestimate what they have to contribute, assuming they are not ready, while men are more likely to overestimate their readiness. She encourages women to be braver–to step forward before they feel completely prepared.
“Most professional women have an enormous wealth of skills and experience,” she says. “They just need to trust that.”
The value of coaching
Over more than two decades, Jennifer has consistently invested in coaching – particularly leadership coaching. Her first experience was early in her partnership, helping her think about both professional and personal direction. Since then, she has engaged in coaching through major projects, firm-led leadership programmes and partner development initiatives.
She sees coaching as central to growth.
“Being open to feedback is part of having a growth mindset,” she says. “Anything that helps you lead people better is worth investing in.”
A leadership legacy
Jennifer’s legacy as chair is not defined by any single decision but by the culture she helped shape – one grounded in trust, inclusivity, clear communication and shared responsibility.
Her advice to women considering governance roles is simple but powerful – recognise your transferable skills, stay curious, invest in your development and remember that leadership is ultimately about enabling others to succeed.