Tafaoimalo Leilani Sina Naireen Tuala-Warren (born 28 November 1972) is a

Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands (Manono Island, Manono an ...

n judge. She has been a Judge of the

Supreme Court of Samoa The Supreme Court of Samoa () is the superior court dealing with the administration of justice in Samoa. It was established by Part VI of the Constitution of Samoa. It consists of the Chief Justice of Samoa and other judges as appointed by the He ...

since 29 April 2016. She is the second woman Supreme Court judge in Samoa. Tuala-Warren was born in

Apia Apia () is the Capital (political), capital and largest city of Samoa, as well as the nation's only city. It is located on the central north coast of Upolu, Samoa's second-largest island. Apia falls within the political district (''itūmālō ...

to parents who were both lawyers, and was educated at Leifiifi College in Malifa and

Tintern Grammar , motto_translation = By deeds not words , established = 1877 , type = Independent, co-educational , denomination = Anglican , slogan = , principal = Brad ...

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. She won an AUSAID scholarship to the

University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD), also known as Sydney University, or informally Sydney Uni, is a public research university located in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and is one of the country's si ...

, graduating with a Bachelor of Economics in 1993. She then won a NZODA Scholarship to

Waikato University , mottoeng = For The People , established = 1964; years ago , endowment = (31 December 2021) , budget = NZD $263.6 million (31 December 2020) , chancellor = Sir Anand Satyanand, GNZM, QSO, KStJ , vice_chancellor = Neil Quigley , city ...

, where she graduated with a Bachelor and Master of Laws in 1997, before completing a pre-admission course at the university's Institute of Professional Legal Studies in 1998. Tuala-Warren was a state solicitor in Samoa's Office of the Attorney-General from 1998 to 2002 before returning to Waikato University to teach from 2001 to 2005, variously as a tutor, teaching fellow and then law lecturer, teaching dispute resolution, corporate and commercial law and consumer protection. She returned to Samoa in 2005 to work as a partner with her brother's firm, Tuala & Tuala Lawyers, in their litigation practice. Tuala-Warren became the Executive Director of the Samoa Law Reform Commission in 2009, and was appointed as a Samoa District Court judge in August 2013, holding both roles simultaneously. As District Court judge, she was the main judge for the Family Court and Family Violence Court. She was appointed to the Supreme Court of Samoa in April 2016 after being recommended by the Court Commission, headed by the

Chief Justice of Samoa The Chief Justice of Samoa ( sm, Faamasino Sili o le Faamasinoga Sili o Samoa) is the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Samoa. The qualifications and powers of the office are governed by Part VI of the Constitution of Samoa and the Judicatur ...

. In January 2023 she announced she would be resigning from the court in March. In August 2022 she was awarded a Distinguished Alumni Award by the University of Waikato. She is married to lawyer Aidan Warren.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tuala-Warren, Leilani Living people 1972 births Samoan judges Samoan women judges Samoan lawyers University of Waikato alumni University of Sydney alumni People from Apia