About us

The Commercial and Business Law Committee was established in 1989. Since its inception the committee has played an important role in law reform, reviewing discussion documents and bills that propose significant changes in all areas of commercial and consumer law.

Our people

Charlotte McLoughlin, the committee convenor, is Director of Knowledge Management – Commercial at Simpson Grierson and has over 20 years’ experience in law and financial services, mostly at large New Zealand and London based firms where she specialised in corporate and securities transactions, commercial partnering relationships and corporate governance. She has also worked at one of New Zealand’s largest banks, and in a specialist technology firm.

The members of the committee are experienced practitioners:

• Stephen Layburn
• Tom Pasley
• Rebecca Sellers
• Victoria Stace
• Peter Stansfield
• Andrew Wallace

Recent work

In the past 18 months the committee has contributed to various NZLS submissions, including:

• Mfe-MBIE consultation about climate-related financial disclosures
• reform of the Unclaimed Money Act 1971
• COVID-19: debt and insolvency legislation changes (Business Debt Hibernation scheme and proposed ‘safe harbours’)
• Review of the Insurance (Prudential Supervision) Act 2010 Options Paper 1: Scope of the Act and Overseas Insurers
• Review of the retirement village legislative framework