It fosters support and collegiality with a focus on best practice and preserving the role of lawyers in the immigration process. It liaises with officials from various Government Departments such as Immigration New Zealand, the office of the Ombudsman and the Ministry of Justice. It also liaises with the Immigration and Protection Tribunal from time to time.

The committee is mainly made up of a dynamic group of immigration law practitioners. Over the years the committee has built very good relationship with the Immigration New Zealand and other immigration-related stakeholders and it holds an annual dinner with the Minister of Immigration. The committee organises speaker meetings throughout the year. This year thus far the Ombudsman and her team have attended. A wider audience attended the meeting with Judge Spiller, the Immigration Protection Tribunal Chair. A meeting is currently organised with Immigration New Zealand’s officials to talk about their organisations’ upcoming changes and how it will affect lawyers working in this field.

For more information or to join the Committee please contact wellington@lawsociety.org.nz.