The New Zealand Law Society has announced the members of the working group which will consider if improvements can be made to enable better reporting of harassment in the legal profession to the Law Society. The working group will be chaired by Dame Silvia Cartwright, who was a District Court Judge from 1981, Chief District Court Judge from 1989 and appointed to the High … [Read more...]
The RMA: New Zealand Faces A Range of Resilience-Related Issues
By Clare Sinnott, Special Counsel, MinterEllisonRuddWatts New Zealand is facing a range of resilience-related issues The Resource Management Act (RMA) is facing a range of resilience-related issues: - The vulnerability of primary industries and regional economies to climate change effects - The risks to communities, transport and other systems from natural hazards, climate … [Read more...]
Russell McVeagh Dumped From Womens’ Journal Sponsorship
The Russell McVeagh sponsorship fallout has increased with the Factory-sponsored New ZealandWomen's Law Journal now saying they are also dumping the firm, but carefully noting that the problem was far broader than just Russell McVeagh. Journals editors-in-chief Ana Lenard (pictured) and Allanah Colley have spoken out for the first time since the sex harassment claims arose, … [Read more...]
“It Must Stop”. Law Society Acts Over Sexual Harassment
The Law Society has reacted to the sexual harassment scandal embroiling Russell McVeagh and the wider profession by announcing a survey of the profession to determine the extent of the problem, as well as beefing up the Society's reporting and response capability. In a press release issued today, President Kathryn Beck said the Society wanted to work in an "innovative and … [Read more...]
Verbal Stoush Between Law Firms Over Sexual Assault Solicitor
A verbal stoush between Duncan Cotterill and Russell McVeagh over disclosure of a sexual harassment issue with a lawyer hired by the former from the latter firm has developed into one of the nasty side effects of the recent sexual harassment issue hitting Russell McVeagh. The sexual harassment and assault issue has created a mounting storm, with the stories reaching … [Read more...]
Sexual Harassment Issues Hits Russell McVeagh
It's one of any law firm's worst nightmares - but a major 'bad publicity' day has hit one of the country's largest and most prestigious law firms - a sexual harassment issue that appears serious. The claims involve allegations from interns from the firm's Wellington office from two years ago, broken by website Newsroom.co.nz. LawFuel has some background on the allegations and … [Read more...]
Does the Law Really Work? Or Do We Need To Be More Adaptive?
Peter Marriott* "There was a society of men among us, bred up from their youth in the art of proving, by words multiplied for the purpose, that white is black, and black is white, according as they are paid. To this society all the rest of the people are slaves. … "It is likewise to be observed, that this society has a peculiar cant and jargon of their own, … [Read more...]
Opportunities for New Zealanders with Arbitration Growth
With the growth of globalisation, the preferred dispute resolution mechanism for disputes between corporates operating in different locales, arbitration, has also grown. It is a rare law firm that deals with internationally operating corporates that does not have an interest in arbitration. An initiative by the Arbitrators’ and Mediators’ Institute of New Zealand, AMINZ, is to … [Read more...]
25. Whaimutu Dewes
‘Whai’ Dewes, of Ngāti Porou and Ngati Rangitihi descent, holds a powerful postition among a number of key organisations. Chairman of Sealord, which announced the investment of $70 million in fisheries vessels in August 2016, with the intention of being the best deep sea fisheries company in New Zealand. In early 2016 he was appointed to the board of Aotearoa Fisheries Ltd and … [Read more...]
How to Take The Headache Out of Trust Account Administration
Keeping a trust account in order is unquestionably one of the bugbears of legal practice, particularly for the smaller practitioner. While there are a variety of software and 'Cloud-based' alternatives, the fact is the implementation and administration of such systems can be both costly and time-consuming. Further, with increased NZLS inspections, the need to … [Read more...]
