Chief Judge Dr Caren Fox analyses the dynamic change in Māori leadership from the 1970s to the current day. She reflects on those who were disrupters, those who negotiated treaty settlements, those who provided cross sector analysis and the changes these leaders achieved. She then identifies the attributes Māori value in their leaders, what the current leadership looks like noting that there is a distinct lack of unity among them. She notes the impact of international and national challenges for Māori indicates a more collaborative approach to leadership is needed to respond to those challenges and suggests who should lead in response to those challenges.

Chief Dr. Judge Caren Fox (Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata, Tūhoe) was appointed to the Māori Land Court on 1 October 2000 and was later appointed as Deputy Chief Judge on 20 February 2010. She was in Gisborne as one of the resident Judges for the Tairāwhiti District of the Māori Land Court, prior to her appointment as Chief Judge.

Before becoming a Judge, Chief Judge Fox was a lecturer in law at Victoria University, and a Senior Lecturer in law and Director of Graduate Studies at the University of Waikato. In addition, she acted as legal counsel for Treaty claimants and Māori land clients.

A specialist in international human rights, Chief Judge Fox was a Harkness Fellow to the USA from 1991 to 1992 and a Pacific Fellow in Human Rights Education employed by the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation 1997-1999. For her work in human rights she won the NZ Human Rights Commission 2000 Millennium Medal.

Chief Judge Fox has been the presiding officer for the Waitangi Tribunal on the Aquaculture claims, the Te Arawa Mandate and Settlement claims, Central North Island Stage 1 claims, the Te Kohanga Reo claims and the Te Rohe Potae claims. She is currently the presiding officer for the Porirua ki Manawatu claims and the Constitutional Kaupapa Inquiry. She was appointed Chairperson of the Waitangi Tribunal in August 2023.

Chief Judge Fox was also appointed as an Alternate Environment Court Judge in 2009.

In 2023, she graduated with a Doctorate in Philosophy.

She was sworn in as the Chief Judge of the Māori Land Court in August 2023. Her appointment to this role marks the first time since 1865 that a woman has led the Māori Land Court bench.