Programme

Thursday 13 March 2025

1-3pm: AML workshop: Department of Internal Affairs, Financial Intelligence Unit and AML Solutions. Rob Milnes (Department of Internal Affairs), Dave Bealing (New Zealand Police) & Tijana Misur (AML Solutions)
4-5.30pm: AI & the Law: Latest Developments and Live Demonstration of Legal AI Tools. Derek Roth-Biester (Criterion Law)
5.30-7.30pm: Welcome drinks and canapes

8:00am: Registration Opens
9:00am: Conference opening and welcome: Dale Lloyd (Otago Branch President)
9:15am: Law Society Update: Katie Rusbatch (Law Society CEO)
9.35am: Keynote: High-Tech Stalking: Navigating legal challenges in the digital age. Steven Bradley (USA)
11:00am: Closing comments: Richard Smith (Southland Branch President)

11.10am Morning Tea

11:40am
Session 1:: Cooper v Pinney: Clayton revisited. Rhonda Powell (Barrister) and James Tocher (Russell McVeagh)
Session 2:: The interface between private property rights and interests and resource management decision making: Rosie Hill and Ben Gresson (Todd & Walker Law)
Session 3:: Balancing Workplace Safety, Drug and Alcohol Testing in the Workplace, the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act and Tikanga Māori. Judge Kathryn Beck (MoJ) & Janet Copeland (Copeland Ashcroft Law)

12:40pm
Session 4:: Utilising Theory of the Case to Clarify Litigation. Sarah Saunderson Warner (Barrister)
Session 5:: Understanding kindness as a tool to enhance the performance of individuals, teams, and organisations. Nicki Macklin (BMJ Leader)
Session 6:: Trust law update and discussion on managing common but tricky issues in Estate and Trust litigation. Matthew Prendergast (Barrister)

1:30pm Lunch

2.15pm
Session 7:: Employment Law: Where is it all heading: What’s “working” in 2025? Maria Dew KC (Barrister)
Session 8:: Advising your clients on a significant sale or financing transaction and the real benefit of first completing a vendor/borrower due diligence. Tony Sycamore & John Powell (Russell McVeagh)
Session 9:: Sentencing reforms: the return of three strikes and further restrictions on discretion in sentencing. Henry Benson-Pope (Barrister & Otago University) & Yasmin Olsen (Otago University)

3.15pm: Keynote: Overcoming clinical depression and burnout: Breaking the silence on mental health in professional services. Susan Rowe (Buddle Findlay) & Steve Colligan (FrontTier/College of Law)