Justice Susan Glazebrook

A Supreme Court Judge, former Simpson Grierson partner Justice Susan Glazebrook joined the High Court bench in June 2000, serving as a temporary judge until her permanent appointment in December that same year. She was appointed to the Court of Appeal in May 2002 and to the Supreme Court in…

Pip Greenwood

Pip Greenwood is a senior partner and board member of Russell McVeagh in Auckland. She specialises in corporate law. What makes a good lawyer? It’s not just about the law and in my experience, a good lawyer displays the following three skills: 1. Technical skills These are fundamental and a given. In addition…

Professor Ursula Cheer

Professor Cheer is Dean of the School of Law, Canterbury University. Professor Cheer was awarded a PhD for her thesis entitled: 'Reality and Myth: The New Zealand Media and the Chilling Effect of Defamation Law'. It has been a useful exercise to think about the characteristics of a good lawyer and, in…

Tiana Epati

Tiana Epati is the New Zealand Law Society’s Gisborne branch President. Ms Epati works with Rishworth Wall & Mathieson and specialises in criminal law. It goes without saying that an excellent lawyer requires a combination of high intelligence, strong analytical and advocacy skills, and an ability to communicate effectively (both verbally…

Duncan Webb

New Zealand’s first Legal Complaints Review Officer, Duncan Webb is a partner of Lane Neave in Christchurch. He is recognised as a leading New Zealand expert in lawyers’ ethics and professional responsibility. Questions like what makes a good lawyer really are not fair. The person asking the question knows full well…

From the Law Society

It has been a huge privilege This will be my final column in my capacity as President of the New Zealand Law Society. The last three years have been busy and challenging but also enormously rewarding. I have been fortunate to be supported by an incredibly talented, energetic and enthusiastic Law Society staff…

On the edge of global conflict

Dealing with situations where there is conflict between parties is part of many lawyers’ work. This is the case, too, for Gerard van Bohemen, except that much of his role is on the edge of major international conflicts. Mr van Bohemen is New Zealand’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Security…

Be demanding of law firms

In-house lawyers should be more demanding of law firms, according to internationally renowned futurist Daniel Susskind. Daniel Susskind and his father, Richard Susskind, authored the book The Future of the Professions. (Richard Susskind is also very well known for his numerous books, including The Future of Law (1996), The End of…

Our Profession, Our People

Former lawyer Dame Patsy Reddy will be the next Governor-General of New Zealand. “On behalf of the legal profession I welcome the news that she has been appointed to this very important role,” New Zealand Law Society President Chris Moore said in congratulating Dame Patsy on her appointment. “The constitutional significance of…

Wellington lawyer to contest world ironman

Wellington lawyer Sierra Ryland has won a spot in this year’s Ironman World Championship, to be held in Kona, Hawaii, on 8 October. Ms Ryland qualified in the women’s 30-34 age group after finishing second to Auckland athlete Diana Simpson at the Ironman New Zealand Championship at Taupo on 5 March. A…

Extraordinary, challenging and rewarding

Later this month Chris Moore will stand down after spending three years as the 29th elected President of the New Zealand Law Society. Chris answered some questions about his time in the role. You are coming to the end of a three year term as President. Was the role what you…

Maintaining physical wellness

Visiting your GP purely to “see if anything is wrong” seems an odd concept to many people. Many others can see the value in it but never quite get around to it, and a rare few make a point of taking themselves off to their GP on a regular basis for…

Legally smart versus money-smart?

To date we’ve covered the impact of personality and irrational influence on making sound money decisions. Now it is time to ask what impact your money sense is having on your dollars. What do you know about finance? What have you read? Who have you talked to? How deep is…

But are you sure there is no will?

By Geoff Adlam Just over 31,600 New Zealanders died in 2015. Most (98%) were aged 18 and over. Estimates vary on how many of them died intestate. Consumer magazine reported in 2012 that the rate was less than 5% – about 1,500 intestacies annually. That same year Public Trust said around…

The rich vein of New Zealand judicial humour

The courtroom is often a place where jokes would not be welcomed or appreciated. However, it is clear that many members of New Zealand’s judiciary have injected appropriate bursts of humour into proceedings or their judgments to bring things to back earth or diffuse tension. Former Judge’s Associate (now at Clifford…

Practice Guidelines

The New Zealand Law Society’s website contains a wide variety of information and guidance which is aimed at assisting with lawyers’ understanding of the regulations and requirements for legal practice. A selection of these are outlined below. Updates and new additions are regularly advised through LawPoints. These guides may be…

The Christchurch Justice and Emergency Services Precinct

Ministry of Justice Chief Executive Andrew Bridgman discusses the state of the art Justice and Emergency Services Precinct which, when complete, will bring all Christchurch’s justice and emergency services together into one modern building designed with people in mind. With just over a year to go until the precinct opens for…

Paris climate talks

As an officially accredited observer to the Paris climate talks, I witnessed first-hand the frenzied, high-stake exchanges between some of the most experienced international negotiators on the planet. There are powerful negotiation strategies to be learnt from Paris, all of which are relevant to executives, lawyers, and decision-makers alike. Following the November…

Wrong way round confusion evidence not helpful

A trade mark may not be registered if it is likely to cause confusion or deception with another trade mark on the trade marks register or being used in the marketplace. This is often a hypothetical assessment, as more often than not, one or more of the trade marks is…

How technology is transforming the practice of law

The advances in technology have greatly transformed how we now work and will continue to do so. The computer has the ability to do amazing things. We only need to look at the impact of automation and the use of artificial intelligence, with the likes of IBM’s Watson and more its…

Courts can be ‘circuit-breaker’ for violence

Genuine potential exists for the courts to be a “circuit breaker” for families trapped by violence, according to Chief District Court Judge Jan-Marie Doogue. “Judges of the District Court are willing to play our part,” Chief Judge Doogue told the Auckland Women Lawyers’ Association Criminal Justice Forum on domestic violence on…

Lawyers Complaints Service: Fined for unsatisfactory conduct

A lawyer, B, has been fined $750 by a lawyers standards committee following five findings of unsatisfactory conduct relating to a residential property transaction. B acted for the vendor, and the principal of a firm, Mr C, acted for the purchaser, assisted by an employee, Ms D. B provided an undertaking to…