Education Law Conference in Auckland
In this rigorous programme tailored especially with school leaders in mind, you will learn how to best protect privacy, information, and your school’s reputation, receive a step-by-step guide to student disciplinary procedures, and discuss practical way to support gender and cultural diversity. Stay for the afternoon and receive best-practice guidance on approaching commercial arrangements and an essential round-up of the latest employment issues that are imperative for your school to know. 223NZA39
Description
Attend and earn 7 CPD/PLD Hours
Session 1
Spotlight on Student Rights, Discipline, and Information Protection
Chair: Heather McRae, Principal, Auckland Diocesan School for Girls
PROTECTING INFORMATION AND YOUR SCHOOL'S REPUTATION
8.45am to 9.45am Privacy and Requests for Information
- Understanding your obligations under the Privacy Act 2020
- Responding to requests by staff, students, or families for access to personal information
- When can you refuse to grant access to personal information?
- Learnings from the Privacy Commissioner’s case notes
Presented by Rachael Judge, Senior Associate, Simpson Grierson
9.45am to 10.45am Manoeuvring Through Media Storms: What Schools Need to Know
- Taking control when contacted by the media
- When to and when not to use silence
- Combatting conjecture and ensuring the media meet their standards of ethical journalism
- Filing a complaint with the New Zealand Media Council
- When is proactively approaching the media a good idea?
Presented by Robert Stewart, Barrister, Shortland Chambers
10.45am to 11.00am Morning Tea Break
STUDENT RIGHTS AND DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES
11.00am to 12.00pm Managing Commercial Arrangements
Receive tips and practical guidance on entering into, managing, and exiting common commercial arrangements. Common arrangements for schools include uniform supply, copier rentals, and property and facilities arrangements.
Presented by Greg Steele, Partner, Harrison Stone
12.00pm to 1.00pm School Board’s Obligations to Supporting Student Rights and Diversity
Presented by Ced Simpson, Governance Adviser, New Zealand School Trustees Association -Te Whakarōputanga Kaitiaki Kura o Aotearoa
Session 2
Employment Update and Commercial Arrangements in Schools
1.45pm to 2.45pm Recent Employment Law Cases Affecting the Education Sector
Focus on employment law cases that are in the education sector or have significance to the education sector and take with you information to assist you manage your employment concerns in your school.
Presented by Kirsti Laird, Senior Associate, SBM Legal
2.45pm to 3.45pm Investigations in Schools
Investigations can come about in a number of ways in a school environment. A teacher making a complaint about another teacher, a parent or pupil making a complaint about a teacher or a general concern or pattern of behaviour.
- Uncover the process in relation to an investigation when an investigation is required and the steps following the conclusion of an investigation
Presented by Fiona McMillan, Partner, Lane Neave
3.45pm to 4.00pm Afternoon Tea Break
4.00pm to 5.00pm Student Disciplinary Procedures
A step-by-step guide to the Principal's decision making process and the Board hearing process, with a focus on what to include and what to avoid.
Presented by Gretchen Stone, Partner, Harrison Stone
Presenters
Heather McRae
Heather is Principal at Diocesan School for Girls, an all-girls independent school for Pre-School to Year 13 offering both day and boarding located in Epsom, Auckland. Educating Girls at the speed of Life. Prior to that Heather was Principal at Pakuranga College, a co-educational school with 2100 students and before that, she was Principal and Director of Curriculum at the Western Academy of Beijing, a co-educational International Baccalaureate school of 1600 students from Kindergarten through to Year 12. Widely respected as one of New Zealand’s leading Principals, Heather is currently President of the Executive of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools (AHIS) and is Chairperson of the Executive Board of the Independent Schools of New Zealand (ISNZ).
Rachael Judge
Rachael Judge is a senior associate at Simpson Grierson, specialising in employment and education law. Rachael acts for several independent and state schools on matters such as terms of enrolment, student disciplinary issues, student human rights claims, school policies and the Children’s Act 2014. She also advises schools in relation to their employment agreements and staff disciplinary issues. Rachael regularly attends mediations and represents clients in Employment Relations Authority, Employment Court and Human Rights Review Tribunal matters.
Robert Stewart
Recognised as one of New Zealand’s leading media and defamation lawyers, Robert has a proven record of excellence and success with over 30 years litigation and advocacy experience. He advises a number of New Zealand’s major digital, broadcast and print media entities – both public and commercial – and have led and appeared in a number of significant media law and defamation cases. Prior to moving to the independent bar at Shortland Chambers, Robert was a litigation partner for 20 years at the highly respected Wellington firm Izard Weston. His international legal experience in the areas of commercial transactions and insolvency involved working in the London offices of global law firms Reed Smith LLP (as Warner Cranston) and DLA Piper (as Dibb Lupton Broomhead). Robert is a member of the New Zealand Bar Association, the New Zealand Law Society and a faculty member of the NZLS’s Litigation Skills Programme.
Gretchen Stone
Gretchen Stone specialises in employment and education law. She advises secondary principals through the Secondary Principals Association of New Zealand and with primary principals as the Honorary Solicitor for Auckland Primary Principals Association. Gretchen has extensive experience advising Principals and Board of Trustees in relation to employment and disciplinary issues, governance and management, student discipline issues, social media, and all areas of legal liability within the education sector.
Kirsti Laird
Kristi commenced practice as an employment lawyer in 2003 at a national firm having graduated from the University of Canterbury with an LLB (hons) and BA in History and Classical Studies. She also spent several years working in the employment law teams of multi-national firms in London before returning to New Zealand. Kirsti is an experienced employment lawyer who advises both employers and employees in a wide range of employment law issues. Her advice is always practical and designed to find solutions to problems that arise in workplaces. Her expertise includes advising on restructuring, disciplinary and performance issues, discrimination, the employment aspects of mergers and acquisitions and dispute resolution.
Fiona McMillan
Fiona commenced her career with Lane Neave in 2007 and specialises in assisting employers with all employment law related advice including collective bargaining and human rights commission matters. Fiona regularly represents employers in Mediations, Employment Relations Authority Investigation Meetings and the Employment Court. Fiona was Counsel in the leading case on penalties, Borsboom v Preet PVT Limited. She has built strong relationships within a number of different industries including corporate, tourism, the bus and coach industry and manufacturing. Fiona has a hands on style of practice which involves working in a business as opposed to working alongside it. Fiona is often instructed to undertake external investigations for employers and regularly completes HR Audits for her clients. Although Fiona is based in Auckland she works with clients in all parts of the country. Fiona regularly presents employment law seminars around New Zealand. Fiona was nominated for Young Lawyer of the Year at the 2016 New Zealand Law Awards.
Greg Steele
Greg Steele joined Harrison Stone in 2020 following 20 years of working mostly as in-house provider and manager of legal services for NZX and ASX listed companies in both New Zealand and Australia. Greg has a broad range of commercial law experience, which includes assisting businesses and schools with contract and dispute management. Greg is a member of a school board and accordingly understands the practical issues that schools face when dealing with commercial agreements.
Ced Simpson
Ced Simpson is a consultant specialising in human rights-based professional practice, education and organisational strategy. He has a background in school education (teaching, curriculum development, school strategy & governance), and human rights promotion, education, campaigning and organisational development in a range of countries. He is currently a governance adviser for the New Zealand School Trustees Association, and chair of the Human Rights Foundation.
Venue
Cordis Hotel
83 Symonds Street
Grafton
Auckland 1010
New Zealand
Parking information
VALET PARKING
NZD$45.00 per car, per night (strictly standard-sized vehicles only)
NZD$25.00 per car for Langham Supper Club
(Strictly for dining only & subject to availability)
Wilsons pay and display public car parks can be found near the hotel at:
Liverpool Street
Wakefield Street
450 Queen Street
100 Symonds Street
Directions
DISTANCE TO HOTEL
Auckland Airport
18.5km, 20-mins drive
Britomart Transport Station
2.3km, 10-mins drive