Watch out for fake jury phishing email

The New Zealand Law Society is warning people to beware of an email which purports to be an invitation to prospective jurors. The email, which is headed "Dear Prospective Juror" and to be a "Justice Department Invitation" (New Zealand has a Ministry of Justice) contains a link which recipients are invited…

Regulatory working group lawyer applications close on 23 March

Expressions of interest from lawyers who want to participate in a regulatory working group on harassment and inappropriate workplace behaviour close at noon on Friday, 23 March. The working group is being established by the New Zealand Law Society to consider what improvements can be made to enable better reporting of…

Dame Silvia Cartwright to chair Law Society regulatory working group

Dame Silvia Cartwright will chair the New Zealand Law Society's regulatory working group to look at the processes for reporting and taking action on harassment and inappropriate behaviour in legal workplaces. "I am thrilled to advise that Dame Silvia Cartwright has agreed to chair our regulatory working group," Law Society President…

Bohsoon (Brent) Kang fined for unsatisfactory conduct

Auckland lawyer Bohsoon Kang has been fined $5,000 by the New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal after a finding of unsatisfactory conduct. Mr Kang has also been ordered to pay the New Zealand Law Society’s total costs of $16,299.20 and to undertake a Trust Account Supervisor Refresher Course as soon…

Law Society seeks lawyer participants for working group

The New Zealand Law Society is seeking expressions of interest from lawyers who want to participate in a regulatory working group on harassment and inappropriate workplace behaviour. Establishment of the working group was announced earlier this month in response to allegations of unreported sexual harassment in the legal profession. The working…

Law Society gives guidance on AML/CFT compliance documents

The New Zealand Law Society has released information which gives practical guidance for use of its specimen AML/CFT compliance documents. Lawyers are preparing for implementation of Phase 2 of the compliance regime prescribed by the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009. The Law Society recently released a number of…

Law Society supports legislation to clear complaints backlog

The New Zealand Law Society has welcomed legislation to give the Legal Complaints Review Office new powers that will assist in clearing a backlog of complaints involving lawyers. The legislation would also make the resolution of complaints more efficient and timely, the Law Society has told Parliament’s Justice Committee in a…

New Practice Briefing on AML/CFT specimen compliance documents

The New Zealand Law Society has provided to the profession some specimen AML/CFT compliance documents to assist lawyers to prepare for the implementation of Phase 2 of the compliance regime prescribed by the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009 (AML/CFT Act). The intention is to provide a…

International Women's Day completes historic week for women lawyers

International Women’s Day completes an historic week for women who practise law, marking 30 years since the first female Queen’s Counsels were appointed, says Law Society President Kathryn Beck. Both Dame Sian Elias and Justice Lowell Goddard were appointed New Zealand’s first women’s Queen’s Counsel on 4 March 1988. “It’s a really…

Ashburton has biggest rise in lawyer numbers

Ashburton, Kaikohe, Havelock North and Queenstown have shown the biggest percentage increase in lawyers over the last seven years. The New Zealand Law Society has published a Snapshot of the Legal Profession in the March issue of its magazine LawTalk. Since the first Snapshot was published in 2011 there has been an…