Rules and maintaining professional standards

New rules governing the behaviour of lawyers, with an emphasis on tackling bullying and harassment, came into force on 1 July 2021. The changes amended the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act (Lawyers: Conduct and Client Care) Rules 2008 (RCCC).

Guidance

The Law Society has produced guidance to help lawyers to understand the new obligations. The guidance is also intended to support and empower people who are affected by prohibited behaviour.

Download the guidance

Support for the rules from the profession

Support for the rules

The Law Society is committed to working with the legal profession to encourage healthy and safe workplace environments where everyone can thrive.

Quick summary of the changes

The short version: a ninety-second summary

Clearer definitions of bullying, discrimination, harassment, including racial, sexual harassment, and violence.
New reporting requirements for notifying conduct to the Law Society to ensure that there is an appropriate regulatory response.
Each law practice must have effective policies and systems to prevent and protect employees and other people it engages with from bullying, discrimination, harassment or violence. The definition of law practice includes an individual lawyer practising on their own account. This means that sole practitioners and barristers are included.
Each law practice must nominate a designated lawyer to report annually to the Law Society that the law practice has complied with its mandatory reporting obligations and to certify that they have complied with their obligation to report within 14 days if any person engaged or employed by the law practice is given a written warning or is dismissed by the law practice for conduct that amounts to bullying, discrimination, harassment, racial harassment, sexual harassment, theft or violence.
Victimising a person who makes a report in good faith is expressly prohibited.

The Rules can be read in full on legislation.govt.nz.

Mandatory reporting obligations

All lawyers are required to report to the Law Society if they have reasonable grounds to suspect that another lawyer may have engaged in misconduct. Under rules 2.8 and 2.9:

you must report misconduct, and
you have a discretion to report unsatisfactory conduct.

Under rule 2.8.4 (b) mandatory reporting does not apply to victims of suspected misconduct.

Download the Confidential report form to make a report Read more about mandatory reporting obligations

Responsibilities of the Designated Lawyer

At any time

Law practices must notify the Law Society within 14 days if any person is issued a written warning or dismissed for bullying, discrimination or harassment. Law practices must report if any person leaves before an investigation is completed.

On an annual basis

Law practices need to nominate a designated lawyer who will be required to report on an annual basis about compliance with their reporting obligations and employment policies. Further information will be provided closer to 1 July 2022 when the first annual certification is due.

Download the Designated Lawyer report form to make a report Read more about the responsibilities of the Designated Lawyer

Webinar archive

The Law Society partnered with WorkSafe New Zealand to run a free webinar on designing bullying and harassment policies for law firms. Held on 10 Nov 2021 and presented by WorkSafe’s Dr John Fitzgerald and barrister Paul Collins, a recording of the webinar is available on the NZLS CLE website.

Designing anti-bullying and harassment policies for law firms, 10 Nov 2021

Resources accompanying this online session are also available to download:

Book which accompanied the webinar

Slides of the webinar presentation

On 3 May 2021 the Law Society’s General Manager Professional Standards, Katie Rusbatch, and Michael Hodge from Meredith Connell presented an online session on the Rules.

New Conduct & Client Care Rules webinar, recorded 3 May 2021