Special Canterbury earthquake property law issues website set up
The New Zealand Law Society has set up a special website aimed at facilitating the exchange of information between lawyers on property-related legal issues which have arisen because of the Canterbury earthquake.
The site is located in the Society’s my.lawsociety site which can be accessed by lawyers who hold a current practising certificate.
Law Society Property Law Section Chair Chris Moore says Canterbury property lawyers have suffered a heavy burden over the past fortnight. Many have suffered personal losses to their homes and business premises.
“Lawyers throughout New Zealand can potentially help to alleviate this through tangible support in the form of pooled knowledge and resources,” Mr Moore says.
The special website contains a collection of resources such as letter templates and precedents which have been contributed by lawyers. An interactive forum also allows lawyers to post, share and exchange information – such as information on innovative or successful approaches to overcoming insurance or other earthquake-related hurdles.
Contributions are being sought from lawyers around New Zealand as well as from the Canterbury region. All have been invited to share their experiences with various banks and insurers, and any workarounds they may have developed to solve some of the legal issues which have arisen.
“Over the past couple of weeks there have been numerous examples of the constructive and solutions-focused nature of property lawyers,” Mr Moore says.
“From the trauma and horror of the situation in Canterbury, this special website is an opportunity for us to demonstrate the strength of our professionalism as trusted, independent advisers who can be relied upon to help resolve some of the difficult issues confronting our colleagues and clients.”