Sharnika graduated from Saint Kentigern in 2013. She was the Head Girl the same year the College turned 60 and celebrated its 10th year of girls at the College.
Born into a sports-oriented family, Sharnika grabbed the opportunity to participate in as many sports as possiblebefore narrowing in on netball and touch rugby as part of the premier sports teams. The abundance of opportunities in Performing Arts caught her interest having been a competitive dancer before attending the school. Sharnika was also involved in drama and choir and held lead roles in the College performances of “The Crucible” and “West Side Story” in 2013.
Recalling some of her fondest memories, Sharnika said, “Everything from the many sports tournament weeks and performing arts trip to the US, to attending dance classes with Ms Craig and rehearsing for the musical. I was fortunate to be in an environment that encouraged me to pursue my many interests with an array of platforms and opportunities to gain experience and to perform at a very high level in both arts and sports.”
After leaving the College, Sharnika stayed in Auckland for her studies. She graduated with a Bachelor of Laws with Honours and Bachelor of Arts in 2019.
Speaking of influences in her career, Sharnika said that the leadership qualities and values nurtured while she was at Saint Kentigern helped shaped her mindset. She says she learnt the importance of being an independent thinker, to be versatile in leading in different situations and to be of service to others. “I often reflect on the conversations I had with Mr Steve Cole who was the College Headmaster then and remains a respected mentor of mine. His wisdom, and belief in me, had and still has, a massive impact and helped get me to where I am today.”
In addition to her full time position at Russell McVeagh, Sharnika is the Co-Chair of Young AMINZ (Arbitrators’ and Mediators’ Institute of New Zealand), an organisation that supports and promotes dispute resolution, and is the Executive Committee Member for the Pacific Lawyers’ Association.
At Russell McVeagh, she is a Solicitor in the firm’s litigation team representing clients in commercial disputes and providing legal advice on matters such as contract, company, construction, directors’ duties, insurance, regulatory investigations, professional negligence, employment, among others. She has a keen interest in arbitration and was the recipient of the Arbitrators’ and Mediators’ Institute of New Zealand’s Determinative scholarship in 2021.
