Public Law Roundup
This half-day seminar brings together a diverse and experienced panel of practitioners to discuss four specialist areas in public law. Get the latest updates on judicial review including case law and key emerging trends. Consider statutory interpretation in the law reform context and gain an understanding of the policy behind reform proposals. Finally, consider evidence and take a close look into the current Royal Commission of Inquiry. 222NZW04
Description
Attend and earn 3 CPD hours
Chair: Tiho Mijatov, Barrister, Stout Street Chambers
Judicial Review and Statutory Interpretation
2.00pm to 2.05pm Opening Comments by the Chair
2.05pm to 2.50pm Judicial Review: Recent Cases, Developments, and their Implications
- Examine recent judicial review case law
- Key developments and emerging trends
- Practical implications for your clients and organisations
Presented by Matthew Smith, Barrister, Thorndon Chambers
2.50pm to 3.35pm Statutory Interpretation in a Law Reform Context: How Does It All Fit Together?
- Understanding the policy context of reform proposals
- Considering the intent, purpose, context and structure of amended or new legislation
- Anticipating issues with workability, including any inconsistencies and unintended consequences
Presented by Megan Ball, Barrister, Kate Sheppard Chambers
3.35pm to 3.50pm Afternoon Break
Giving Evidence and an Update on the Current Royal Commission
3.50pm to 4.35pm What All Government Lawyers Need to Know about Preparing Witnesses to Give Evidence
- Preparing inhouse colleagues and other witnesses for litigation, investigations, inquiries and other hearings
- Witness coaching vs witness familiarisation:
- How far can you go to prepare witnesses for court?
- Relevant case law and guidelines
- Hints and tips on working with witnesses
Presented by Nikki Pender, Barrister and Director of Legal Empowerment Ltd
4.35pm to 5.20pm An Update on the Royal Commission into Historical Abuse and the Current Legal Landscape
- Settlement processes: claims against the State
- The New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990
- An update on the Royal Commission of Inquiry
Presented by Amanda Hill, Partner, Cooper Legal
Learning Objectives:
- Examine recent judicial review cases and developments over the last 12 months
- Consider statutory interpretation in the law reform context and discuss the practical issues
- Understand how to prepare witnesses to give evidence in litigation, investigations, inquiries and other hearings
- Stay updated on the Royal Commission into Historical Abuse and receive insight into the current settlement processes and recommendations
Presenters
Tiho Mijatov
Tiho is a barrister with experience in both civil litigation and criminal law. He regularly appears in courts and tribunals around New Zealand. Tiho has acted for and against individuals, groups and associations, charities, insurers, companies and political, local and central government bodies. He has appeared in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Court, and District Court. He has also appeared in a wide range of specialist tribunals and hearings including Parliamentary select committees, inquiries and inquests, professional disciplinary matters, local authority hearings, alcohol licensing and personal injury disputes. Before joining chambers, Tiho was a judge’s clerk at the Court of Appeal, where he gained wide experience in civil and criminal law including in respect of pre-trial, conviction and sentence appeals, judicial review of administrative action, company disputes, environmental cases and regulatory and disciplinary matters. Tiho can be instructed directly (where permitted) or by a solicitor.
Matthew Smith
Matthew Smith is a barrister at Thorndon Chambers in Wellington. He has a broad public and commercial law practice, encompassing regulatory, Māori, human rights and environmental law, and with a special expertise in judicial review and the use of public law tools to achieve meaningful outcomes for clients. Matthew works across the entire range of public law and has acted for public sector bodies (including Crown entities and commissions of inquiry), individuals, entities of many kinds (including companies, incorporated societies, trusts and Māori incorporations), industry groups and NGOs. He has appeared in all of the higher Courts, and in a number of specialist courts and tribunals - including the Waitangi Tribunal and the Māori Land Court. Matthew's non-litigation work tends to involve the provision of legal and strategic advice and support in a range of settings, including public inquiries, regulatory investigations, consultation processes and Parliamentary/law reform processes. Matthew is the sole author of the New Zealand Judicial Review Handbook - a comprehensive text on judicial review in New Zealand that is now in its second edition.
Megan Ball
Megan is a Wellington barrister at Kate Sheppard Chambers. She has more than 20 years' experience as a litigator and advisor, primarily within the public sector. Her main areas of practice are public and regulatory, criminal and enforcement, law reform and public policy. Megan began her career as a crown prosecutor, conducting regulatory prosecutions and criminal jury trials for serious criminal offending in the District and High Courts. She subsequently worked at Crown Law for seven years, regularly appearing in the Court of Appeal on complex criminal appeals and was also involved with key reforms to the Crimes Act 1961 and the Victims' Rights Act 2002. She continues to provide advice on a wide range of law reform and policy implementation issues, including statutory exemptions, local government impacts, enforcement, infringement frameworks, risk and liability and operational viability. Megan joined the independent bar in 2018. She is a member of the New Zealand Law Society's Law Reform Committee.
Amanda Hill
Amanda has been working as a lawyer since 2005. She began her legal career as a graduate with Cooper Legal before working in an insurance and commercial litigation team and as an in-house employment lawyer. Amanda rejoined Cooper Legal in August 2014. Amanda works on historic abuse claims against the Ministry of Social Development, the Ministry of Education and various Churches, as well as entities contracted by the government to care for children. Amanda can advise on privacy and discrimination issues and has a growing practice in the area of prisoner rights, seeking compensation for breaches of the rights of prisoners or people detained by the Police. Together with Sonja Cooper, Amanda provided factual and expert evidence to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care about redress processes and continues to assist survivors to give evidence at Royal Commission hearings. Amanda is a past Board member of the youth organisation InsideOut Kōaro.
Nikki Pender
Nikki Pender is a barrister who has been in practice for over 30 years. Nikki has an LLB from VUW and a Master of Administrative Law and Policy degree from the University of Sydney. She specialises in public and regulatory law, civil litigation and victim advocacy. Nikki is also the founding director of Legal Empowerment, a business which provides independent witness preparation services (aka witness familiarisation) and expert witness training throughout Australia and New Zealand.
Venue
InterContinental Wellington
Level 1, 2 Grey Street
Wellington 6011
New Zealand
Parking information
Limited valet parking available at $20 per day. Additional parking available at Wilson Parking with $5 per half hour and $22 for early-bird.
Parking is not included in the registration fee and price is subject to change.
Directions
The Intercontinental is a 2 min walk from Lambton Quay which has a number of buses going to airport and suburbs. It's a 10 min walk to the nearest train station.
Taxis are also available downstairs at the hotel entry.