Law Society welcomes latest QC appointments

The New Zealand Law Society says four new female Queen's Counsel is encouraging for all women that tirelessly practise law. Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson QC has announced the appointment of 12 Queen's Counsel. Of the 12 appointees, seven are based in Auckland, four in Wellington and one in Christchurch. Four women have been appointed Queen's Counsel in a single…

Bharat Parshotam suspended for nine months

Auckland lawyer Bharat Parshotam has been suspended from practising for nine months from 1 June 2016 after admitting two charges before the New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal. Mr Parshotam admitted charges of negligence or incompetence of such a degree as to reflect on his fitness to practise or as to bring his profession…

Lawyer practising certificate renewal underway

The annual renewal of practising certificates by New Zealand's lawyers is well underway, with about half of the legal profession having already completed their declaration of fitness to practise. Lawyers' practising certificates are issued by the New Zealand Law Society annually for the year to 30 June. All lawyers who want…

NZLS supports new AIM method for provisional tax

The New Zealand Law Society supports development of the Accounting Income Method (AIM) as an available method of calculating and paying provisional tax. In comments on the Inland Revenue Department issues paper Making Tax Simpler: Better Business Tax, the Law Society says a factor critical to the success of AIM will…

NZLS supports Land Transfer Bill, but urges fresh look at critical parts

The New Zealand Law Society welcomes the modernisation of the Land Transfer Act but is concerned about how some of its new provisions will work. The Land Transfer Bill is set to amend the Land Transfer Act 1952, which the Law Society says will bring this key piece of property legislation into the 21st century. This…

Online health assessment tool now available to NZ lawyers

New Zealand lawyers are now able to have free access to a comprehensive online health assessment tool, Wellbeing 360. The tool has been developed by workplace health organisation Vitality Works and is available free to the legal profession through a Memorandum of Understanding between the New Zealand Law Society and Vitality Works. New Zealand Law Society…

Online ‘Practising Well’ guide for NZ lawyers now live

This week a new Practising Well section of the New Zealand Law Society's website has been introduced and is now live. The new section includes members of the legal profession, such as Michael Heron QC, Daniel Arapere, Katherine Anderson, Nick Chisnall and Rachel Dewar, discussing the importance of asking for help during challenging or stressful…

New Law Commission President appointment welcomed

New Zealand Law Society President Kathryn Beck has welcomed the appointment of Hon Douglas White QC as President of the Law Commission. "This continues a distinguished legal career, as a Judge of the High Court from August 2009 and of the Court of Appeal from February 2012 until September 2015, in practice as a…

Former solicitor suspended from practising law for three years

A former Timaru solicitor has been suspended from practising law for three years, censured and ordered to pay costs of $35,378.84 to the New Zealand Law Society. Edward Oral Sullivan admitted charges in two prosecutions heard by the New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal, on 29 April and 13 May. The first case related to…

Man jailed for committing fraud to tune of $1.4million dollars

A financial planner who committed fraud, affecting multiple Waikato and Bay of Plenty victims, has been sentenced in the Tauranga District Court. Jonathan Graham West pleaded guilty in March to fraud charges laid by the Serious Fraud Office and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment. Mr West faced five Crimes Act charges of 'Theft by person…