Public Law Roundup
This half-day seminar brings together a diverse and experienced panel of practitioners to discuss 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 practical tips of how to access government information. Finally, consider public interest litigation to round off this session. 232NZW04
Description
Attend and earn 3 CPD hours
Chair: Monique Van Alphen Fyfe, Barrister, Stout Street Chambers
2.00pm to 2.45pm 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
2.45pm to 3.30pm Statutory interpretation: Purpose, Context and Structure
- The role of purpose, context and structure of legislation in statutory interpretation
- The effect of custom, treaties and “soft law” on statutory interpretation
- Some insights from recent cases involving statutory interpretation
Presented by Chris Browne, Partner, Wilson Harle
3.30pm to 3.45pm Break
3.45pm to 4.30pm Access to Government Information: Practical Tips
This session will cover a range of topics relating to the interaction between the Official Information Act 1982, the Privacy Act 2020, the High Court Rules and bespoke confidentiality regimes for particular regulators. These topics will include:
- The ability to withhold official information on the basis it is privileged
- The ability to impose conditions on the release of official information
- When is an official information request actually a Privacy Act request
- Powers for regulators to disclose confidential information obtained in the course of an investigation
Presented by Duncan Ballinger, Barrister, Stout Street Chambers
4.30pm to 5.15pm Public Interest Litigation in Aotearoa New Zealand
- Overview of recent cases of note
- Update on protective costs orders
- Considerations for interest groups pursuing, and public bodies responding to, public interest litigation
Presented by Emma Moran, Partner, DLA Piper
Learning Objectives:
- Examine judicial review cases, developments and implications
- Gain a deeper understanding of the role of purpose, context and structure of legislation in statutory interpretation
- Enhance your understanding of access to government information
- Obtain key updates and analysis of public interest litigation in New Zealand
Presenters
Monique Van Alphen Fyfe
Monique practises in civil litigation, with particular expertise in public law, resource management law, Tiriti o Waitangi law, and indigenous legal issues. Her experience includes acting for clients in claims for and against government agencies, in general commercial litigation and arbitration, in Tiriti and settlement litigation, and in claims before international institutions. She has appeared in a number of notable cases of public interest and in a range of forums, including the Waitangi Tribunal, High Court, Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court.
Alongside her litigation work, Monique is committed to advancing law reform and encouraging legal development. She is an adjunct lecturer in property law at Victoria University | Te Herenga Waka focussing on native title and tikanga in relation to land, and is a member of a number of committees, including: the New Zealand Law Society Human Rights and Privacy Committee; the Wellington branch Women in Law Committee; and the New Zealand Bar Association Advocacy Committee.
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.
Chris Browne
Chris Browne has practised as a litigation lawyer for more than 30 years. He holds the degrees of BA and LLB (Hons) from the University of Auckland. Admitted as a barrister and solicitor in New Zealand in 1980 (and in Victoria, Australia in 1986), he was a Crown Counsel in the Crown Law Office in Wellington before joining Russell McVeagh in Auckland in 1987. He was a litigation partner of Russell McVeagh from 1989 until 2002 when he left to found Wilson Harle.
Chris has a broadly-based commercial litigation and public law practice extending from contract, corporate governance and shareholding disputes to insurance, professional and product liability, asset recovery, and regulatory issues. He has been counsel in many reported decisions of the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. He is listed in the Hall of Fame in Dispute Resolution in the Asia Pacific Legal 500, a ranked lawyer in Dispute Resolution and Public Law in Chambers Asia-Pacific, a Distinguished Practitioner in Dispute Resolution in Asia Law Profiles and a Litigation Star in Benchmark Litigation.
Duncan Ballinger
Duncan is a barrister practising in general commercial and public law litigation. He has experience in the Court of Appeal, High Court, District Court, and in mediations. Duncan acts for a wide range of public and private sector clients. Prior to joining chambers, Duncan worked as a judge's clerk at the Court of Appeal for the Hon Justice White and the Hon Justice Kós. Duncan accepts instructions to assist senior counsel.
Emma Moran
Emma is an experienced litigator who specialises in dispute resolution and commercial litigation. She is an effective advocate who has experience representing clients at most levels of Courts, before specialist tribunals, in mediations and at arbitration. Her core work is advice and litigation focused on regulatory, government, corporate and insurance clients across New Zealand and globally. She has a particular focus on public law, building and construction, and life sciences regulatory issues.
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.