Warren Cathcart of Auckland has been appointed an acting District Court Judge with a jury warrant to serve in the Gisborne District Court. Judge Cathcart will be sworn in on 7 August in Auckland.
Auckland barrister Richard Earwaker has been appointed an acting District Court Judge with a jury warrant to serve in the Manukau District Court. Judge Earwaker will be sworn in on 12 August in Auckland.
Jim Large of Dunedin has been appointed an acting District Court Judge with a jury warrant to serve in the Palmerston North District Court. Judge Large will be sworn in on 24 August in Dunedin.
Kim Saunders, Solicitor-General of the Cook Islands, has been appointed an acting District Court Judge with a jury warrant to serve in the Hamilton District Court. Judge Saunders will be sworn in on 30 July in Manukau.
Hastings barrister Tony Snell, who practises through the lower North Island, has been appointed an acting District Court Judge with a jury warrant to serve in the Rotorua District Court. Judge Snell will be sworn in on 18 August in Napier.
Nelson barrister Garry Barkle has been appointed an acting District Court Judge with a Family Court warrant and a jury warrant to serve in the New Plymouth District Court. Judge Barkle will be sworn in on 6 August in Nelson.
Dunedin barrister Lynne Harrison has been appointed an acting District Court Judge with a Family Court warrant to serve in the New Plymouth District Court. Judge Harrison will be sworn in on 20 August in Dunedin.
Auckland barrister Antony Mahon has been appointed an acting District Court Judge with a Family Court warrant to serve in the Manukau District Court. Judge Mahon will be sworn in on 14 August in Auckland.
Auckland barrister Sharyn Otene has been appointed an acting District Court Judge with a Family Court warrant to serve in the Hamilton District Court. Judge Otene will be sworn in on 2 September in Manukau.
Auckland barrister Dianne Partridge has been appointed an acting District Court Judge with a Family Court warrant to serve in the North Shore District Court. Judge Partridge will be sworn in on 31 July in Manukau.
Kevin Riordan has been appointed Judge Advocate General of the Armed Forces. Mr Riordan has been Deputy Judge Advocate General and Deputy Chief Judge of the Court Martial since October 2013. He succeeds Christopher Hodson QC who is retiring. The Judge Advocate General is responsible for ensuring the proper administration of armed forces law. With the appointment comes appointment as Chief Judge of the Court Martial. Mr Riordan will take up his appointments on 4 August.
The former New Zealand Law Society Executive Director, Alan Ritchie, has been appointed the Judicial Conduct Commissioner. He succeeds Sir David Gascoigne. Mr Ritchie has been the Deputy Judicial Conduct Commissioner since 2001. Wellington lawyer Kathryn Snook has been appointed the Deputy Judicial Conduct Commissioner. Ms Snook was appointed a member of the Parole Board in 2011 and a panel convenor in 2013.
Auckland lawyer Niamh McMahon has been appointed Honorary Consul General for Ireland in New Zealand. A partner of McMahon Butterworth Thompson, Ms McMahon was born in Dublin and grew up in Clonmel, Tipperary.
Dunedin barrister Anita Chan QC, the deputy chair of FairWay Resolution Limited, has been reappointed to the board. Appointed a Queen’s Counsel in 2014, Ms Chan was initially appointed as a director of FairWay in July 2011.
Wellington barrister Kristy McDonald QC has been reappointed to the ACC board for a further three years. Ms McDonald’s other service includes being a member of the New Zealand Law Society’s Ethics Committee for nine years, including chairing the committee.
The 2012 LexisNexis Private Sector In-House Lawyer of the Year, Victoria Spackman has been appointed to the Education New Zealand board for a three-year term. Ms Spackman is chief executive, director and co-owner of the Gibson Group.
Auckland lawyer Stewart Germann has been appointed President of the Rotary Club of Auckland for the 2015/2016 year. The Auckland Rotary Club is the largest club in New Zealand with approximately 140 members.
Auckland lawyer Andrew Caisley has been appointed a member of the Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa. A founding partner of Kiely Thompson Caisley, Mr Caisley has served as a member of the Creative New Zealand Council, on the New Zealand Book Council, and is currently a member of the New Zealand Film and Literature Board of Review.
Auckland barrister Anita Killeen has been appointed deputy chair of the Auckland Regional Amenities Funding Board. The board was established under the Auckland Regional Amenities Funding Act 2008, which introduced a new levy to be imposed on all of the territorial local authorities in the Auckland region to be distributed to 10 specified amenities named in the legislation. The organisations named in the Act deliver arts, culture, recreational, heritage and rescue services, and other facilities.
Law firm news
Heaney & Partners has shifted premises and is now located on Level 13, PwC Tower, 188 Quay Street, Auckland. All other contact details remain the same.
Research explores geothermal law framework
A lack of clarity surrounding geothermal resource management has prompted new research by Waikato University LLM student Phoebe Parson.
And she has attracted a prestigious scholarship from the International Bar Association’s Section on Energy, Environment, Natural Resources and Infrastructure Law – the first New Zealander to receive the award.
Ms Parson is carrying out the research to provide clarity for organisations such as regional councils and commercial users of geothermal resources, such as geothermal energy operators.
The focus of the research is the framework for sharing information about geothermal systems that are in commercial production. In the course of their operations, the companies that hold resource consents gather information about the geothermal resource, for company purposes.
However, regional councils which administer the resource also need information to carry out their roles as custodians on behalf of the public.
Ms Parson will analyse the existing legal framework for information sharing under the Resource Management Act and compare it with other regimes for managing natural resources, and similar legislation overseas.
Ms Parson says she looks forward to researching an aspect of law she particularly likes. “I enjoy the interface between environmental law, private and public interest in resource use and how it all comes together.
“My interest in environmental law is what prompted me to study law in the first place,” she says.
Kiwi to play in Lawyers Rugby World Cup
Kiwi lawyer Sam McLernon will play for Australia at the upcoming Lawyers Rugby World Cup in London later this year.
Sam practises law at the Auckland office of Russell McVeagh and plays half back for the Premier Auckland Rugby Championship side University.
When New Zealand was forced to pull out of the tournament, Sam was still keen to travel to London – to both support the All Blacks at the Rugby World Cup and participate in the Lawyers Rugby World Cup.
New Zealand Team Manager Paul Watkins approached the Australian team after getting dispensation from the tournament organisers.
Mr Watkins informed the Australians that because of the standard of football Sam plays in Auckland, he would be a valuable asset to their campaign, not to mention the general contribution that New Zealand born players have made to Australian Rugby in recent years.
Mr Watkins says he was very pleased when the Australians said yes, thus adding an ANZAC element to the tournament.
The Lawyers Rugby World Cup will be played on the 16 and 17 of October at the historic Richmond Athletic ground in London.
Hosts England will be joined by France, Italy, Ireland, Australia, The Cayman Islands, The United States and current holders Scotland.
The Australian management team did say that they were a bit light in the front row and lock, so if there are any accomplished players in these positions wanting to join Sam in London they can contact Paul at nzlawyersrugby@clear.net.nz.
Achieving competitive advantage
Innovation in legal practice will be the focus of a conference presented by the International Bar Association (IBA) on 17-19 February 2016 in Adelaide.
The legal profession is increasingly subject to competitive pressures, the IBA says.
Legal services are becoming commodities to be purchased according to price. Law firms need to change and adapt, and innovation offers a path to achieving competitive advantage.
However, the legal profession is conservative and hierarchical. Young lawyers with new ideas may struggle to have their ideas heard and implemented. Law firms may struggle to keep creative young minds engaged.
This conference will focus on how the generations can best work together for success in innovation.
“Innovation is not just about technology,” conference Co-Chair Shelley Dunstone says. “Technology is an enabler of innovation, but innovation starts with the way we think about the future and our openness to new ideas. This conference will examine the hidden drivers of innovation, for example how to create a firm culture that encourages and rewards innovative thinking.”
For more information see www.ibanet.org/Article/Detail.aspx?ArticleUid=77e38803-b0b4-492a-a492-86533a66d4f4. To contact Shelley Dunstone, email shelley.dunstone@legalcircles.com, phone +61 (0) 417 846 108.