How and why some lawyers morph into politicians

If you take a closer look at the education jackets of politicians currently working on policy in the Beehive, you’ll find many of them actually started out as lawyers. Some might say it’s a practical marriage of social ideals because politicians create legislation and barristers and solicitors speak the language of…

From the Law Society

Law a great stepping stoneStudying and practising law is a great stepping stone into a wide variety of other endeavours. From being a politician to being a world-renowned author, from leading a company to helping develop tomorrow’s leaders, there are a wealth of examples of people who came to those careers…

Our Profession, Our People

Cathy Quinn, chair of MinterEllisonRuddWatts, has announced she will not seek re-election as chair at the end of the year. The firm will elect a new chair with an announcement planned for mid-December. After more than eight years leading the firm, Cathy will focus on her corporate and mergers &…

From DPB to radio presenter to lawyer and now Central Otago Mayor

Alexandra lawyer Tim Cadogan is now the region’s Mayor after beating the incumbent with twice the number of votes during the recent local government elections. Mr Cadogan received 5,288 votes compared to Tony Lepper who got 2,637 votes. Mr Lepper served two terms as Mayor of the region, and a total of…

Woman lawyer appointed NZ LAW's chair

Auckland lawyer Kristine King has been appointed the new chair of NZ LAW. Ms King succeeds Auckland lawyer, Michael Busch, who has retired from NZ LAW’s board. Wellington lawyer Natalie Gaskin and Hamilton lawyer Daniel (Dan) Moore have been newly elected to the NZ LAW board, which now comprises three women…

Solicitor-General inspires government lawyers

“Be strong, be courageous, be steadfast.” This was the final encouragement with which Solicitor-General Una Jagose QC ended her address at the recent Government Lawyers Conference in Wellington. Her keynote address spoke of the need for government lawyers to practise smart, agile lawyering in meeting their collective challenge to deliver value…

OWLS celebrates 30 years

The Otago Women Lawyers’ Society (OWLS) celebrated its 30th anniversary with a gala dinner at Toitū Otago Settlers Museum in Dunedin on 14 October. The judiciary, Queens Counsel, OWLS life members, past and present members, Otago University Law Faculty, and the local profession all attended in large numbers to help OWLS…

New way to be a ‘good lawyer’

Two Auckland criminal barristers have each begun a project to help sentenced people in different ways than defending them or providing legal services. Susan Gray and Emma Priest, from the recently re-established Blackstone Chambers, aim to follow the words of Barbara Mikulski, who said: “Each one of us can make a…

Another milestone for LawTalk

LawTalk celebrates reaching another major milestone – its 900th issue. The first issue of LawTalk was dated February 1974, although that issue did not have a name. In fact, the issue’s editor (and we have not been able to find out who this was) asked readers to suggest a name for…

John Miller Law – an egalitarian law firm

Imagine a law firm where casual dress is king, footwear is optional and the big cases are not always worked on by the most experienced lawyer. John Miller Law in Wellington is located inside the old Hannah shoe warehouse, and with the large steel earthquake strengthening work that adorns the building…

Intrinsic goals are vital for well-being

A focus on intrinsic goals is better for well-being than a focus on extrinsic goals. This is stated by Professor Lawrence Krieger in an article entitled “Psychological Insights: Why our Students and Graduates Suffer and What We Might Do About It”, published in the Journal of the Association of Legal Writing…

Helping your clients to deal with the devil

Should clients negotiate with parties they view with the utmost contempt, or where they have grave concerns regarding those parties’ ethics or tactics? Can you make deals with such people or do you fight them? People are often categorical when answering this sort of question: it is simply yes or no.…

Letters to the Editor

Money launderingThere seems to be a lot of talk about how much money is being laundered through solicitors’ trust accounts. Is there somebody out there who can tell us exactly how it is being done so we can put in practices to avoid being used in this way? We receive money from…

Wrongful Allegations of Sexual and Child Abuse

Edited by Ros Burnett Reviewed by Nigel Hampton QC    I shortly will declare a number of interests which, some might argue, render me less than impartial when setting down my views on this book. But first, a brief outline of the book. It comprises a series of 21 essays, inter-related, contributed by some…

Our audit, your voice – 2016

Last year I reported back to the profession on the experiences of the first year of CPD audits. This year I will focus on what lawyers, and their audited CPD plan and records (CPDPR), are saying about how well the CPD programme is being embedded into the profession and what,…

Payment of fees in advance to a lawyer's practice or personal account

Is it permissible for a lawyer to invoice and receive fees prior to the provision of services to the client, by payment directly into the lawyer’s practice or personal bank account? Until recently, the practice of prospective fee charging was seen as being contrary to s 110 of the Lawyers…

Legal histories relevant today

Over the years the Law Foundation has supported several projects that bring New Zealand’s rich and varied legal history to life. These projects are important – by improving understanding of how our legal institutions and practices began, we shed light on how the system operates today. The Foundation currently has several…

Law Reform

Inland Revenue transitional powers to override tax legislation not justifiedGiving Inland Revenue the ability to override the Tax Administration Act while it beds in its business transformation programme would give officials exceptionally wide powers and is not justified, the New Zealand Law Society says. “The Tax Administration Act covers a wide…

Lawyers Complaints Service: Fined for misleading another lawyer

A lawyer who self-reported misleading another practitioner and the New Zealand Law Society has been fined $5,000 by the New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal. Lisa Kate Tregenza admitted a charge of unsatisfactory conduct in [2016] NZLCDT 31. The particulars of the charge Ms Tregenza admitted were: she received an authority…

Lawyers Complaints Service: Lawyer appeals Tribunal decision

Wellington lawyer Keith Ian Jefferies has appealed the six-month suspension, commencing on 10 October 2016, imposed by the New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal in [2016] NZLCDT 29. Mr Jefferies has been granted a stay of the suspension, pending the hearing of his appeal by the High Court. The Tribunal suspended…

Lawyers Complaints Service: High Court upholds strike off

The High Court has upheld the strike off of former barrister Christopher Knute Skagen. Mr Skagen was struck off by the New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Tribunal in December 2014. The Tribunal, in [2014] NZLCDT 82, found Mr Skagen guilty of a series of charges of misconduct. As well as striking…