NZLS Advisory: Candidates for admission to the High Court

Having received many inquiries in the last week from the public, lawyers and the media, the New Zealand Law Society believes it would be helpful to outline the process and character requirements for someone who wants to be admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the High Court of New…

Proposed changes to Legal Complaints Review Officer processes welcomed

Proposed changes to the law governing the Legal Complaints Review Officer (LCRO) are essential and it is hoped they can be implemented as quickly as possible, the New Zealand Law Society says. “Over 500 applications remain active with the LCRO. It can take up to three years for a decision to…

High Court reduces period of suspension for Keith Jefferies

The High Court has allowed, in part, an appeal by Keith Jefferies against a New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal decision to suspend him from practice for six months. Justice Williams has substituted an order suspending Mr Jefferies from legal practice for four months from 2 August 2017. In his appeal,…

NZ Law Society outlines practical steps for AEOI/CRS

The Automatic Exchange of Information/Common Reporting Standard (AEOI/CRS) came into force in New Zealand on 1 July 2017. This has important implications for lawyers in relation to operating their practices and solicitors' trust accounts. The New Zealand Law Society says lawyers practising from law firms without trust accounts will also need…

Lawyer struck off over dishonesty with trust money

A former Dunedin lawyer who only paid the contents of a trust account back after a former client complained to the New Zealand Law Society has been struck off the roll of barristers and solicitors. Richard James Woodhouse was struck off by the New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal. He admitted…

Increase Reserve Bank powers to collect foreign insurer information, NZ Law Society says

The Reserve Bank should have the power - and where appropriate, should exercise that power - to collect information about all insurance written in New Zealand, including insurance provided by foreign insurers. This is submitted by the New Zealand Law Society in its comments to the Reserve Bank on the bank's…

Practising certificate renewals due by 1 July

With just over one day to go before practising certificates for the year beginning 1 July 2017 need to be renewed, 10% of lawyers with current certificates have still to complete the renewal requirements. New Zealand Law Society Registry Manager Christine Schofield says that at 10:00am on Thursday 29 June, 91%…

Lawyers urged to start getting ready for AML/CFT implementation

New Zealand's lawyers  are being encouraged to start looking at what they need to do to implement the requirements of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009 when members of the legal profession become "reporting entities" under the Act from 1 July 2018. The New Zealand Law Society's Vice…

New Zealand Law Society signs MoU with Open Polytechnic

The New Zealand Law Society has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Open Polytechnic over a new qualification for legal executives. From 2018, the Open Polytechnic will offer the New Zealand Diploma in Legal Executive Studies. The MoU will see the Law Society and the Open Polytechnic work together over…

Law Society issues AEOI/CRS Practice Briefing

The New Zealand Law Society has issued a Practice Briefing on the Automatic Exchange of Information/Common Reporting Standard (AEOI/CRS) regime which comes into force in New Zealand on 1 July 2017. The OECD-developed regime has important implications for lawyers in relation to operating their practices and solicitors' trust accounts. Lawyers will…