NZ Law Society welcomes temporary solution to family legal aid lawyer shortage

The New Zealand Law Society welcomes any solution, even temporary, that will offer relief to a shortage in family legal aid lawyers in Wairarapa. But it stresses asking lawyers in other areas to assist is a short term fix which doesn’t address the fundamental problems causing the shortage of lawyers. The Ministry…

Marc Cropper suspended for three months

Former Auckland lawyer Marc Cropper has been suspended for three months from 24 March 2017 by the New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal. Mr Cropper had been convicted of three offences of possession of a class A controlled drug, methamphetamine. He was sentenced to nine months supervision, a $300 fine…

Report recommends replacement of RMA

The Productivity Commission has completed its inquiry into allocation of land use in cities with release of the Better Urban Planning Report which recommends replacing the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA). The inquiry which has produced the final 516-page report asked the Commission to identify the most appropriate system for allocating…

Stephen Joseph Woulfe suspended from practice

Former Hokitika lawyer Stephen Joseph Woulfe has been suspended for two months by the New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal. Mr Woulfe admitted a charge of negligence or incompetence in his professional capacity to such a degree as to reflect on fitness to practice or as to bring his profession…

Law Society reaches understanding with IRD on FATCA

The New Zealand Law Society says that following discussions with Inland Revenue and the New Zealand Bankers' Association it has now reached an understanding with Inland Revenue about application of FATCA to lawyers' trusts accounts. FATCA is the United States' Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. Its objective is to reduce tax…

120th anniversary of admission of Te Apirana Ngata as a barrister and solicitor

The 120th anniversary of the admission on 26 March 1897 of Te Apirana Turupa Ngata as a barrister and solicitor is something all New Zealanders can celebrate, the New Zealand Law Society and Te Hunga Rōia Māori o Aotearoa (the Māori Law Society) say. He was the first Māori admitted to…

Law Society recommends fundamental rewrite of child protection legislation

The New Zealand Law Society says proposed legislation introducing a child-centred care and protection system needs a complete rewrite if it is to achieve the objective of protecting vulnerable children and young people. The Law Society has presented its submission on the Children, Young Persons, and Their Families (Oranga Tamariki) Bill…

Further changes recommended to modernised border legislation

The New Zealand Law Society has urged Parliament to consider its recommended changes to New Zealand’s border legislation to ensure the law remains fit for purpose in future. The Law Society has presented its submission on the Customs and Excise Bill to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade select committee. The bill…

Experienced women barristers urged to consider applying for QC rank

The New Zealand Law Society is encouraging suitably experienced women barristers to apply for appointment as Queen’s Counsel. Applications for appointment as a QC opened on 27 February 2017 and must be sent to the Solicitor-General no later than 27 March 2017. The QC Guidelines state that the rank of QC is…

Lawyers can redress gender leadership balance, says NZ Law Society

Women will outnumber men in the legal profession later this year but there is still a noticeable imbalance in women in leadership roles, New Zealand Law Society President Kathryn Beck says. “International Women’s Day today is an excellent time to call on all New Zealand lawyers to stop and ask themselves…