Increase Reserve Bank powers to collect foreign insurer information, NZ Law Society says

The Reserve Bank should have the power - and where appropriate, should exercise that power - to collect information about all insurance written in New Zealand, including insurance provided by foreign insurers. This is submitted by the New Zealand Law Society in its comments to the Reserve Bank on the bank's…

Practising certificate renewals due by 1 July

With just over one day to go before practising certificates for the year beginning 1 July 2017 need to be renewed, 10% of lawyers with current certificates have still to complete the renewal requirements. New Zealand Law Society Registry Manager Christine Schofield says that at 10:00am on Thursday 29 June, 91%…

Lawyers urged to start getting ready for AML/CFT implementation

New Zealand's lawyers  are being encouraged to start looking at what they need to do to implement the requirements of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009 when members of the legal profession become "reporting entities" under the Act from 1 July 2018. The New Zealand Law Society's Vice…

New Zealand Law Society signs MoU with Open Polytechnic

The New Zealand Law Society has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Open Polytechnic over a new qualification for legal executives. From 2018, the Open Polytechnic will offer the New Zealand Diploma in Legal Executive Studies. The MoU will see the Law Society and the Open Polytechnic work together over…

Law Society issues AEOI/CRS Practice Briefing

The New Zealand Law Society has issued a Practice Briefing on the Automatic Exchange of Information/Common Reporting Standard (AEOI/CRS) regime which comes into force in New Zealand on 1 July 2017. The OECD-developed regime has important implications for lawyers in relation to operating their practices and solicitors' trust accounts. Lawyers will…

Felicity Blackman not to be employed by lawyers

The New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal has ordered that no practitioner or incorporated law firm employ Felicity Blackman in connection with the practitioner's or incorporated firm's practice. The order, pursuant to section 242(1)(h)(ii) of the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006 was made by the tribunal on 6 June 2017.…

New Zealand Supreme Court makes history

The Supreme Court has sat with a bench of three women and two men: the first time in New Zealand’s history that the country’s highest court has sat with a majority of women on the full bench. The recent retirement of Justice Terence Arnold from the six permanent Court members means…

NZ Law Society highlights gaps in legislation updating family violence laws

The New Zealand Law Society supports proposed law changes to improve the legislative response to family violence but says further protections for family violence victims need to be included. The Law Society has presented its submission on the Family and Whānau Violence Legislation Bill to Parliament’s Justice and Electoral Committee, recommending…

Lawyers recognised for excellence at In-house Lawyer awards

The awards recognising leadership and excellence for in-house legal services have been held, and in a rare situation a contestant took out two categories. Seven winners of the annual ILANZ In-house Lawyer Awards were announced at the 30th ILANZ Conference Gala Dinner on 26 May in Rotorua, following the national ILANZ…

Law Society releases AML/CFT preparation guidance

Lawyers need to undertake three tasks to prepare themselves for becoming "reporting entities" under the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009, the New Zealand Law Society says. The Law Society has released a Practice Briefing, Preparing for becoming a reporting entity under the AML/CFT Act. This says legislation before…