New Zealand Law Society - Recent law firm information releases and publications

Recent law firm information releases and publications

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A number of law firms have published information and backgrounders on some of the issues arising from the coronavirus epidemic.

Information and statements released by New Zealand law firms in the last fortnight includes the following. Provision of this information does not imply endorsement by the New Zealand Law Society, but is intended to provide a short summary of some of the publicly available information from law firms:

Adjudication

Nick Gillies and Sean Gamble of Hesketh Henry consider judicial review of an adjudication determination in Yousseff v Maiden [2019] NZHC 3471.

Auckland Council accommodation targeted rate challenge

A Simpson Grierson backgrounder looks at the High Court’s dismissal of a challenge to the Auckland Council’s accommodation targeted rate.

Climate change and fund managers

Nick Summerfield of Anthony Harper, in Climate change - a legal risk that fund managers can't ignore, looks at the financial effects rather than environmental effects for climate change for fund managers, who already have direct legal obligations.

Construction contracts and “buildability”

Travis Tomlinson of MinterEllisonRuddWatts has prepared Buildability – who bears the risk?, a  look at the buildability requirement in build-only construction contracts.

Construction Sector Transformation Plan

Simpson Grierson looks at the six main workstreams of the Government’s Construction Sector Transformation Plan.

Duncan Cotterill provides background and analysis of the Plan.

Consumer credit law changes

A backgrounder from Anderson Lloyd looks at consumer credit law changes in the Credit Contracts Legislation Amendment Act 2019 and their impact on lenders.

Consumer Data Right rules

Liz Blythe, Guy Lethbridge, Che Ammon and Rosie Judd of Russell McVeagh have released Consumer Data Right rules established for the Australian banking sector and Building a Kiwi Data Economy – Minister to invite feedback.

Coronavirus

Anthony Harper’s Kathryn McKinney, Jackie Behrnes and Joy Kaur look at Coronavirus – Useful steps all employers should consider. Nicola Tiffin asks Will your migrant workers be impacted by the Coronavirus?

Buddle Findlay considers some frequently asked questions which employers may consider to prepare strategies to address the coronavirus situation.

Andrew Shaw and Fiona McMillan of Lane Neave have published Potential impact of coronavirus on employers and employees.

Kylie Dunn and Bella Moore of Russell McVeagh consider The Coronavirus and the Workplace.

Anderson Lloyd has published Coronavirus: Key Employment Law Questions and Coronavirus: Headline thoughts for New Zealand businesses.

Nick Frith, Oliver Skilton and Jane Standage of MinterEllisonRuddWatts have published Coronavirus – managing interruptions to trading.

Anthony Drake of Wynn Williams writes on Novel Coronavirus - an increasing concern for the workplace.

Digital Economy Partnership Agreement

Chapman Tripp’s Danae Wheeler and Charlotte Austin Chen have prepared a backgrounder on the Digital Economy  Partnership Agreement recently concluded between New Zealand, Chile and Singapore.

Employee consultation before introducing new technology

Jackie Behrnes, Kathryn McKinney and Joy Kaur of Anthony Harper have prepared a note on the ERA decision Fensom v KME Services NZ Pty Ltd on consultation with employees about the introduction of new face recognition technology.

Financial services regulation

Simpson Grierson has released a February update on key developments affecting the financial services sector.

Fire and Emergency Act and building owners

Holland Beckett solicitor Libby Butler looks at the legal obligations placed on building owners to implement fire safety precautions under the Fire and Emergency Act 2017 and regulations.

FMA funding and levy consultation

Claire Evans and Matthew Tolan of Lane Neave say higher FMA levies are on the way, but there will be relief for unlisted code companies.

Lloyd Kavanagh of MinterEllisonRuddWatts has prepared a backgrounder on the consultation being carried out by the Financial Markets Authority on its funding options and levies.

Gig economy

Anthony Drake of Wynn Williams looks at The gig economy – a changing workforce.

Health & Safety at Work Act private prosecutions

DeAnne Brabant of Morrison Kent outlines the process for Private Prosecutions under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.

Immigration NZ remuneration changes

Lane Neave partners Mark Williams, Rachael Mason and Daniel Kruger examine the upcoming threshold changes for Skilled Migrant Resident Visas and Essential Skills Work Visas.

Incoterms

A new version of the ICC's Incoterms took effect on 1 January 2020 and Chris Dann of Anthony Harper writes on FIO, CIP, FAS .. WI* - Incoterms 2020 - What are they? What aren't they and What's changing?

In-house

Juno Legal has released the February issue of its In-House Legal Community newsletter.

Litigation Forecast for 2020

MinterEllisonRuddWatts partners Andrew Horne and Jane Standage have released a Litigation Forecast for 2020 which highlights the key trends they believe will shape the litigation scene in 2020.

Overseas Investment

Bell Gully’s Glenn Shewan, Andrew Petersen, Gabrielle Carter and Charles Partridge have prepared a report on key changes to overseas investment rules, which they say will set the tone for the next decade.

Projects and real estate

Bell Gully has released issue 6 of its monthly Projects and Real Estate News digest on regulatory developments in the projects and real estate sectors.

Shareholdings for employees or family members

In NZ Law Ltd’s Commercial eSpeaking 54, Rebecca Nilsen of Cruickshank Pryde looks at the options for offering shareholdings in a business to employees or family members.

Sky purchase of Lightbox

Chapman Tripp says it advised Sky on its purchase of Lightbox, Spark’s streaming TV service. It says Chapman Tripp partner Kelly McFadzien counselled Sky with support from partner Matt Sumpter, and solicitors Charlotte Hooper and George Spittle.

Taxation and trust beneficiary changes

Take care with beneficiary loan accounts in credit, after new tax legislation comes into effect from 1 April 2020, Emma Tonkin and Harsimran Mahal of Hesketh Henry say.

Trusts Act 2019

Gibson Sheat’s James Wilkinson looks at the upcoming changes to trust law in The Trusts Act 2019 – how will the new law affect you?

Brandon Cullen of McVeagh Fleming writes on The New Trusts Act and how it will affect you as a trustee.

In Trust Law - What is New?, Wayne Pearson and Gaynor McLean of Glaister Ennor consider what trustees should do to prepare for the coming law change.

Urban development

Natasha Garvan, Andrew Beatson and Sarah Anderton of Bell Gully look at the Urban Development Bill in their article Government aims to fast-track urban development.

Waitangi Tribunal

In part 1 of a two-part article, Simpson Grierson's Chris Ryan assesses the extent to which the Waitangi Tribunal’s recommendations from Ko Aotearoa Tēnei (the report on the Wai 262 claim) have been adopted in the Draft National Policy Statements for both Freshwater and Indigenous Biodiversity.

Workplace bullying information access

A backgrounder by Jackie Behrnes and Kathryn McKinney of Anthony Harper considers the Privacy Commissioner’s recommendations on workplace bullying information access.

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