David Robinson, Law Society Otago Branch President

Law Society Otago branch President and Gallaway Cook Allan partner David Robinson describes the legal profession in Dunedin as “collegial” and “really active”. Mr Robinson – who is an Otago University graduate – says there are well-supported employment, family and new practitioners committees as well as a close criminal bar. He says…

Caryl O'Connor, Community Law Otago Managing Solicitor

Community Law Otago has a roster of about 80 lawyers, 60 of whom are on an active rotation of five to six weeks. The centre also has about 90 law students on fortnightly rotation who work in groups of seven. Community Law Otago managing solicitor Caryl O’Connor says lawyers from the…

Catey Boyce, Junior Solicitor at Anderson Lloyd

Catey Boyce, 25, has been a solicitor at Anderson Lloyd for a year. Originally from Christchurch, the Cantabrian ventured south to do a Health Sciences degree, but later switched to a law degree after her first year. In 2012 Ms Boyce graduated with an LLB and Biomedical Science degree majoring in genetics. She…

Debbie Ericsson, Law Society Otago Branch Manager and Barrister Sole

Law Society Otago branch manager Debbie Ericsson graduated from Otago University with an LLB in 1998, having already completed a BSc in psychology, and also completed her Masters in Bioethics and Health law. She worked four years at Aspinall Joel Barristers and Solicitors, then went out as a barrister sole at…

Kate O'Boyle, Otago Women Lawyers’ Society Convenor

“Dunedin has a unique legal culture. I think it is the links to the university and collegiality that makes networks work,” Otago Women Lawyers’ Society (OWLS) Convenor Kate O’Boyle says. Ms O’Boyle – who graduated in 2008 from Otago University and joined OWLS when she started practising – says the main…

David Miller, Dunedin Court Manager

David Miller was a police officer for over 28 years before he became the Dunedin Court manager. Mr Miller held such ranks as Constable, dog handler, Sergeant, Senior Sergeant in a variety of positions, including time as the officer in charge at Mosgiel. He was also in charge of the Armed Offenders…

Anne Stevens, Criminal Barrister

Criminal Barrister, Anne Stevens, was admitted in 1988 and has been a barrister sole since 1998 in chambers in the Octagon, Dunedin. Mrs Stevens says that she loves the lifestyle that Dunedin offers. “It’s fun, full of student energy and coloured by local creativity. We live on Mount Cargill about 10 minutes…

Mark Henaghan, Otago University Dean of Law

“It all connects up pretty well really,” Otago University Dean of Law Professor Mark Henaghan says when he describes Dunedin’s legal community. He says being a large university and having by comparison a smaller legal profession provides a “good mix”. “We bring the profession in to do teaching when it’s necessary and…

From the Law Society

Dunedin punches above its weight This issue of LawTalk has a feature on the legal profession in Dunedin. As you will read, the profession here is in good heart. Over the years Dunedin has transformed from being a key commercial centre to being a “regional centre”. Gone are the days of the…

Our Profession Our People

Chris Moore has been re-elected President of the New Zealand Law Society. He was elected unopposed at the Law Society Council meeting on 10 April. Mr Moore became the Society’s 29th President in April 2013, when he succeeded Jonathan Temm. Mr Moore was chair of the Property Law Section from…

Passion for the underdog

An average day of work for solicitor Christina Billing consists of assisting people around the country who are in physical pain needing treatment, who have permanent injuries, those who are financially struggling, in mental suffering, or who have fallen through the system and are in need of a helping hand,…

Jewel in the crown of legal education

Well over 2,000 lawyers have greatly benefitted from NZLS CLE Ltd’s Litigation Skills Programme, which celebrates its 30th birthday this year. The outstanding success of the programme “is proved by its longevity,” says this year’s programme director, Fiona Guy Kidd. “No matter what your experience coming in – whether you’ve been in…

Considerable contribution honoured

John Marshall QC’s legacy as Chief Commissioner of the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) was honoured at a function held for his retirement at Parliament’s Banquet Hall on 25 March. “Over the past five years, as Chief Commissioner of TAIC, John has made a considerable contribution,” Transport Minister Simon Bridges said. “He…

New Southland branch President

Toni Green is the new NZLS Southland branch President. She succeeds Bill Dawkins, who stepped down as President after serving two years, but remains on the Southland branch Council. A partner of AWS Legal in Invercargill, Ms Green was admitted in 1994, the same year she graduated from Otago University. She then…

First lawyer to die serving in WWI

New Zealand is marking the 100th anniversary of the landings at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915. Among the estimated 147 New Zealand soldiers killed on the first day was Lieutenant Herman Baddeley. Lieutenant Baddeley was the first New Zealand lawyer to die while serving in World War I. There were…

Colinvaux's Law of Insurance in New Zealand

General Editors Robert Merkin and Chris Nicoll Reviewed by Rebecca Scott This new text published by Thomson Reuters is the first New Zealand franchise of Colinvaux’s Law of Insurance. Based on the English text – which also has a Hong Kong edition (a Singapore version is coming soon) – Colinvaux is an…

Balancing Work and Life: A Practical Guide for Lawyers

Reviewed by Sharron Wooler Goodness knows how the author managed to find time to not only write this book, but to provide a webinar on its many learnings! I have struggled to fit in writing a review. The second sentence of this book says it all: “Our profession is littered with chronically…

Proceeds of Crime Law in New Zealand

Reviewed by Chris Macklin Proceeds of crime litigation by the Commissioner of Police has resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of assets being restrained, and many millions of dollars of assets being forfeited to the Crown. The value of assets restrained and forfeited continues to grow, on some accounts…

E-Commerce and the Law

Reviewed by Nic Scampion In E-Commerce and the Law, Susan Corbett (Associate Professor in Commercial Law at Victoria University of Wellington) and Alexandra Sims (Associate Professor in Commercial Law at the University of Auckland) have written a good introduction to an important and developing area. They describe the law as at…

New books

Antarctica in International Law Edited by Ben Saul and Tim Stephens The editors are law professors at the University of Sydney. The book includes a large number of documents relevant to Antarctica, including the text of treaties and agreements between New Zealand and other countries, judicial decisions, United Nations and other international…

When does stress become something more serious?

One of the tricky things about stress is that each of us experiences stress differently. This makes it difficult to describe what “normal” stress looks like, and subsequently, to define clearly at what point stress turns into something more serious. In general terms, identifying stress usually means noticing specific changes in…

Conducting internal investigations: key tips for in-house counsel

Whether in response to inquiries from a regulator, or to investigate potential misconduct or operational failures, companies frequently conduct internal investigations. Investigations raise a number of legal issues, including in relation to legal privilege, employment law and privacy. Questions of broader legal strategy also often come into play, in particular mitigating…

How to stand out from other lawyers online

You’ve invested plenty of time and money into building a brilliant website. Now what? You need to get people there and you need to sell your law firm and services to them. But how? Chris Price has been working in online marketing for over a decade and specialises in businesses…

Smarter scheduling for District Courts

With hundreds of thousands of events scheduled in New Zealand District Courts each year, a smarter approach to scheduling is set to deliver benefits for those that work in and use the criminal courts. Traditionally District Court users have been told to come to court in the morning and wait for…

New orders help protect victims

A new order that came into effect on 1 January 2015 better protects victims of serious violent and sexual offences. The Victims’ Orders Against Violent Offenders Act 2014 recognises the effects of this offending on victims and reduces the risk of unwanted contact between victims and their offender. Victims of violent offences…

Artist resale royalties: the debate resumes

Corporate and commercial lawyers may be interested in the heated debate that has resumed in recent months about whether or not artists should receive royalties from second and subsequent resales of their artworks in the secondary market. The topic was deliberated in 2007, with a discussion paper prepared by the Ministry…

Letters to the Editor

Access to Justice The current discussion within the profession about self-represented litigants (LawTalk, 860) points to a broader issue that is close to our hearts – access to justice. Providing and improving access to justice has been the mission for Auckland Community Law Centre since we were established in 1977. The hidden underbelly…

Lawyers Complaints Service: Suspended for cannabis offences

Anthony Paul Blair (also known as Paul Anthony Blair) has been suspended for three years from 12 March by the New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal. In [2015] NZLCDT 9, Mr Blair, who is not currently practising, admitted having been convicted of offences punishable by imprisonment which reflected on his…

Lawyers Complaints Service: Strike off follows cheque fraud convictions

Nova Lorraine Camp has been struck off by the Court of Appeal in [2015] NZCA 15 after being convicted on charges that involved fraudulently presenting cheques totalling just over $40,000. Ms Camp did not hold a practising certificate at the time and this meant the New Zealand Law Society did not…