About the IAPP

Cheri-Lee Atkinson is a commercial law and privacy specialist. She is Senior Legal Advisor at Waikato-Tainui, one of the largest iwi (tribes) in Aotearoa New Zealand. Waikato-Tainui commercial infrastructure supports tribal development, treaty settlement implementation, and indigenous data sovereignty initiatives. Cheri-Lee had over 10 years’ experience in private practice before she moved in-house. She has extensive corporate and commercial law, privacy, charities, and governance advisory experience. Her professional focus at Waikato-Tainui is delivering strategic legal solutions that support iwi aspirations and uphold tikanga Maaori within contemporary legal frameworks. As a Maaori descendant Cheri-Lee is committed to advancing indigenous aspirations through robust legal and governance frameworks. She brings a whakapapa-informed lens to her legal expertise. She is passionate about strengthening governance capability within iwi and not-for-profit entities, and in navigating the interface between indigenous world views and Western legal systems.