Jocelyn Cooney receiving her Queen’s Service Medal in 2018 from the then New Zealand Governor General, Dame Patsy Reddy.
Cambridge organisations have benefitted from Jocelyn Cooney’s support for more than four decades. Today she is recognised as Cambridge News’ person of the year. Viv Posselt reports.
The Cambridge News Person of the Year, Jocelyn Cooney QSM. Photo: Ruth Gilmour
Jocelyn Cooney could be forgiven for signalling a touch of ‘ho hum’ on hearing she is Cambridge News’ Person of the Year for 2025, but instead of shrugging us off as just another award, she was tickled pink.
Those who know her would expect nothing less. In whatever citation written for her, it is Jocelyn’s humility and her readiness to go above and beyond for her community, that make her a stand-out in Cambridge.
“I’m really more of a background type of person,” she smiled, “it’s not for me being front and central to everything.”
Aside from her distinguished career in the legal industry, where she is known for her professionalism and modesty, Jocelyn is widely acknowledged for her community service.
Cambridge News 18 December 2025
That was at the heart of her Queen’s Service Medal awarded in 2018 and contributed to her winning in 2011 the Cambridge Community Board’s Community Service Award. Also in 2018, she was presented with a Recognition of Contribution to Education award by the New Zealand School Trustees Association, acknowledging her contribution to education and the community for serving on the Nelson-based Salisbury School board of trustees.
Years before that, in 2007, she was presented with a plaque from the then Governor General Anand Satyanand in recognition of her service as a Coroner.
Jocelyn has also held numerous trustee roles. She was a foundation member of the Cambridge Health and Community Charitable Trust, which oversees what is now Taylor Made Community Space. She still enjoys her 14-plus years’ involvement with the Cambridge Autumn Festival Trust, has assisted the Waipā Community Trust and the Linda Jones Riding for the Disabled Foundation (which fundraises so that the Riding for the Disabled crew don’t have to), has played a pivotal role on school boards, is involved with the Creative Fibre, the Cambridge Society for Arts, and Cambridge Grey Power, which gave her life membership in 2018. She was also a longstanding member and patron of the now-dissolved Cambridge Lyceum.
The 2018 picture of Jocelyn Cooney receiving her life membership award from Cambridge Grey Power, presented by then president, Val Massey. Photo: Viv Posselt
She also serves as honorary solicitor for several of those groups, as well as the Parents Centre, and Cambridge Rotary. More recently, she took over the chairmanship of the Cambridge Safer Community Charitable Trust, something she has been involved with for years. She is also involved with Rotary’s Urban Miners and the Souter Trust.
Looking forward, she is keen to help advance the Cambridge Public Art Trust, founded by Carey Church earlier this year to support the installation of artwork in Cambridge public areas.
Factor in a career in which she made herself available to clients whenever they needed her, building her reputation for empathy and excellence, she has certainly mastered good time management.
Last hurrah: Lyceum House committee, back row from left: Kaye Pollock, Florence Monson, Daphne Caddie, Susanne Whitehead, patron Jocelyn Cooney, Glenda Little, Pat Harbutt. Front: Lyndsay Mason, Mary Shaw, president Barbara Fisher. Dianne Murdoch was absent. Photo: Supplied.
Standing from left to right: Ronel Pretorius (Activities Assistant), Tracy Fairhurst (Registered Diversional Therapist), Marjorie Wooding (resident), David Hall (CEO), Jocelyn Cooney (Souter Trust Trustee), and Maria Baldo (Activities Assistant) Seated from left to right: Residents Lewis Hollands and Anne Whitsed
Community has coursed through Jocelyn’s veins for decades. After completing her schooling at Cambridge High School, she went to Auckland University to do law. Not long after being admitted at the High Court in Auckland in early 1975, she founded the Mt Roskill Citizens Advice Bureau, giving them four years of pro-bono work before heading south with husband David Cooney, with whom she won a Waipā District Council Heritage Award in 2013.
The couple ended up here in 1982 after spending time in Auckland and Rotorua. Jocelyn did a locum with the late David Jecks and soon took on his role as Coroner for 11 years.
“That was a very interesting side of the job, but could also be quite confronting,” she said.
After a few years on her own as a sole practitioner, she joined another law firm, then started her own practice, Cooney Law, in 2005. It’s where she has remained until stepping back from full-time work this year.
Her ability to get close to people, earn their trust and deal with each case compassionately has earned her an unmatched reputation here.
She will keep doing her community work, but right now, it’s time to enjoy the grandchildren a little more and get her lovely garden ready for an April family wedding.
See: A wonderful citizen
See: Grey Power award for Jocelyn Cooney
See: Jocelyn Cooney honoured for service
See: Virtual reality for rest home residents
Jocelyn Cooney receiving her Queen’s Service Medal in 2018 from the then New Zealand Governor General, Dame Patsy Reddy.Grey Power award for Jocelyn Cooney | Cambridge News
