November2010,Wellington,NewZealand|REPORT119

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND | NOVEMBER 2016

THE LAW COMMISSION’S 30TH ANNIVERSARY SYMPOSIUM

THE LAW REFORM COMMUNITY IN THE 21st CENTURY

1

Programme

Coffee 8.30 am Everyone to be seated 8.45 am Their Excellencies arrive 8.45 am Mihi whakatau – Kura Moehu 8.50 am

Session One – Law reform: an overview

The Hon Douglas White QC welcomes and introduces the Governor-General 8.55 am (Chair, The Hon Douglas White QC, President of the Law Commission)

• Her Excellency The Rt Hon Dame Patsy Reddy, Governor-General 9.00 am • The Hon Douglas White QC 9.15 am • Hon Amy Adams, Minister of Justice, Minister Responsible for the Law

Commission 9.30 am

• The Hon Justice Dame Ellen France, Supreme Court 10.00 am • The Minister and The Hon Douglas White farewell the Governor-General 10.30 am

Mid-morning break 10.30am

Session Two – Law reform: accessibility (Chair, Helen McQueen, Law Commissioner)

• Ms Fiona Leonard, Chief Parliamentary Counsel 10.45 am • Ms Una Jagose QC, Solicitor-General 11.15 am • Panel:

• Dr Arie Rosen, Faculty of Law, University of Auckland • Ms Fazleen Ismail, General Manager Law Reform and Sections, New Zealand Law Society • Dr Bridgette Toy-Cronin, Director Legal Issues Centre, University of

Otago

11.45 am

• Q & A 12.15 pm Lunch 12.30pm Session Three – Law reform: Te Ao Māori (Chair, Hon Dr Wayne Mapp, Law Commissioner)

• The Hon Justice Joe Williams, High Court 1.20 pm • Associate Professor Claire Charters, Faculty of Law, University of Auckland 2.00 pm • Panel:

• Professor Mark Hickford, Dean of Law, Victoria University of Wellington

• Ms Natalie Coates, Associate, Kahui Law • Ms Mihiata Pirini, Assistant Crown Counsel, Crown Law

2.30 pm

• Q & A 3.00 pm

Mini break 3.15pm

Session Four – Law reform: really looking forward (Chair, Dr Lisa Yarwood, Senior Legal & Policy Adviser, Law Commission) 3.30 pm

• Panel: • Ms Kate Salmond, Senior Legal & Policy Adviser, Law Commission • Mr Paul Comrie-Thomson, Legal & Policy Adviser, Law Commission • Mr Pita Roycroft, Law Student • Ms Eve Bain, Law Student

Concluding remarks (Donna Buckingham, Law Commissioner) 4.15 pm

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BIOGRAPHIES OF SPEAKERS

SESSION ONE – LAW REFORM:

AN OVERVIEW

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Her Excellency The Rt Hon Dame Patsy Reddy, GNZM, QSO

Dame Patsy graduated with an LLB and LLM (Hons)

from Victoria University of Wellington.

After a period as a law lecturer, she joined Watts and

Patterson (now Minter Ellison Rudd Watts), becoming

the first female partner in 1983, specialising in tax,

corporate and film law. In 1987 she joined Brierley

Investments Ltd as Group Legal Counsel.

Dame Patsy has had extensive experience in governance

and consulting roles, both in the private and public

sector. She has been a director of Air New Zealand, Sky

City Entertainment, Telecom Corporation, Southern

Petroleum and New Zealand Post. Her public sector

roles have included Chair of the New Zealand Film

Commission, Deputy Chair of the New Zealand

Transport Agency, Chair of Education Payroll Ltd and

independent director of Payments NZ Ltd. She was an

independent reviewer along with Sir Michael Cullen of

intelligence and security in New Zealand.

In 2014 she became a Dame Companion of the New

Zealand Order of Merit (DNZM) for services to the arts

and business. She was sworn-in as the 21st Governor-

General of New Zealand in September 2016.

4

The Hon Douglas White QC President of the Law Commission

The Hon Douglas White graduated LLM (First Class

Honours) at Victoria University of Wellington. He was

a litigation partner in predecessor firms to Kensington

Swan before moving to the independent bar in 1986 and

being appointed Queen's Counsel in 1988.

Douglas was appointed a Judge of the High Court in

2009 and to the Court of Appeal in 2012. He retired

from the Court of Appeal in 2015. In 2016 he was

appointed to the Law Commission, becoming the

President in May 2016.

5

Hon Amy Adams Minister of Justice and Minister responsible for the

Law Commission

Amy graduated with LLB (Hons) in 1992 from the

University of Canterbury. Before entering politics, she

was a partner with Mortlock McCormack Law in

Christchurch, specialising in commercial and property

law.

She was elected to Parliament in 2008, and was

Chairperson of both the Finance and Expenditure and

Electoral Legislation select committees.

In 2011, Amy joined Cabinet and has held the

portfolios of Internal Affairs, Communications and

Information Technology and Associate Minister for

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery. In 2014 she became

Minister of Justice, Minister for Courts, Minister of

Broadcasting, Minister for Communications and

Minister Responsible for the Law Commission.

6

The Hon Justice Dame Ellen France, DNZM Supreme Court

Dame Ellen France graduated LLB from the University

of Auckland in 1981 and LLM from Queen’s University

in Ontario Canada in 1983. She has worked in private

practice, the former Department of Justice and in the

Crown Law Office, where she was Deputy Solicitor-

General.

In 2002 she was appointed Judge of the High Court, and

to the Court of Appeal in 2006, serving as President

from 2014.

In 2016 she was appointed to the Supreme Court.

7

BIOGRAPHIES OF SPEAKERS

SESSION TWO – LAW REFORM:

ACCESSIBILITY

8

Ms Helen McQueen Commissioner, Law Commission

Helen has a BA and LLB (Hons) from Victoria

University of Wellington and an LLM from the

University of Chicago.

Helen McQueen practised law at Chapman Tripp from

1992 to 2016, becoming a partner in 1997. She

specialised in commercial litigation, with particular

interests in competition law, private international law,

procedural law and public law. She was a contributing

author for Brookers’ publications McGechan on

Procedure and District Court Rules and has also

published in the area of private international law.

Helen was appointed to the Law Commission in

February 2016 for a five year term.

9

Ms Fiona Leonard Chief Parliamentary Counsel

Fiona has a BA and LLB (Hons) from the University of

Canterbury and an LLM from the University of

Cambridge.

Fiona was appointed as a Parliamentary Counsel in

1998 after several years of experience as a litigation

solicitor in private practice and as a legal adviser at the

Ministry of Justice. She also practised as a barrister sole

for a number of years, providing legislative drafting

services and advice on the implementation of legislation

for various Pacific Islands countries and international

organisations, including the Commonwealth Secretariat

and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.

In 1996 she returned to the Parliamentary Counsel

Office and was appointed Chief Parliamentary Counsel

in May 2016.

10

Ms Una Jagose QC Solicitor-General

Una Jagose holds an LLB from the University of Otago

and an LLM (First Class Honours) from Victoria

University of Wellington.

She has had an extensive career as a public sector

lawyer including as Deputy Solicitor-General, Crown

Law and Acting Director of the Government

Communications Security Bureau.

In 2016 she took up the role of Solicitor-General and

Chief Executive of the Crown Law Office.

11

Dr Arie Rosen Law Faculty, University of Auckland

Dr Arie Rosen is a lecturer in jurisprudence at the

University of Auckland, Faculty of Law, where he

focuses on questions of legal and political philosophy.

He holds a BA/LLB from Tel Aviv University and an

LLM and JSD from New York University.

His research combines abstract conceptual analysis with

applied theoretical work on legislation, legal reasoning

and statutory interpretation.

Arie currently has a particular interest in the philosophy

of private law and the role of political authority in the

development of private law rules.

12

Ms Fazleen Ismail General Manager Law Reform and Sections, New

Zealand Law Society

Fazleen has a Masters degree in Economics from the

London School of Economics.

Fazleen is the General Manager Law Reform and

Sections at the New Zealand Law Society. Prior to

joining the Law Society, Fazleen was a senior manager

at the Commerce Commission, heading up a team that

advised government on competition, consumer and

credit law reform, provided guidance to businesses and

consumers on compliance, and liaised with overseas

competition and consumer authorities.

Originally from the UK, Fazleen was a member of the

UK Government Economic Service, working in a

variety of roles, including as an Economic Adviser at

the Office of Fair Trading and the Department of Trade

and Industry.

13

Dr Bridgette Toy-Cronin Director Legal Issues Centre, Otago University

Bridgette graduated with an LLM from Harvard Law

School in 2005 where she was a Frank Knox Fellow. In

2015 she was awarded a PhD from the University of

Otago.

Bridgette has worked as an intern to the International

Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, as a High Court Judges'

Clerk, and as a civil litigator in New Zealand and

Australia. She also spent a year in Cambodia working

for the Cambodian Defenders Project on Women's

Rights.

Bridgette is the Director of the Legal Issues Centre at

Otago University and her current research interests are

access to justice, the legal profession, and civil

procedure.

14

BIOGRAPHIES OF SPEAKERS

SESSION THREE – LAW REFORM:

TE AO MĀORI

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Hon Dr Wayne Mapp Commissioner, Law Commission

Hon Dr Wayne Mapp graduated LLB (Hons) in 1976

from the University of Auckland, and LLM from the

University of Toronto in 1977. He did his PhD in

International Law at Cambridge University, graduating

in 1988.

He served as the MP for North Shore from 1996 to

2011. From 2008 to 2011 he was Minister of Defence

and Minister of Science and Technology.

From 1977 to 1982 Wayne was in private practice with

John Collinge, Solicitor and from 1984 to 1996 he

taught commercial law and international law at the

University of Auckland. He was appointed Associate

Professor in 1992.

Dr Mapp was appointed as a Law Commissioner in

2012 for a five year term.

16

The Hon Justice Joe Williams High Court

Justice Williams is of Ngāti Pūkenga, Waitaha and

Tapuika descent.

Justice Williams graduated LLB from Victoria

University of Wellington in 1986 and gained an LLM

(Hons) in 1988 from the University of British

Columbia.

He practised law at Kensington Swan, Auckland from

1988, becoming a partner in 1992. He was a partner in

the firm of Walters Williams from 1994 until 1999.

In 1999 he was appointed Chief Judge of the Māori

Land Court.

He was appointed a Judge of the High Court in 2008

and is based in Wellington.

17

Associate Professor Dr Claire Charters Faculty of Law, University of Auckland

Claire is from Ngāti Whakaue, Tūwharetoa, Ngāpuhi

and Tainui.

Claire graduated BA/LLB (Hons, First Class) from the

University of Otago and LLM from New York

University. She completed her PhD at Cambridge

University on Indigenous peoples’ norms under

international law.

Claire is Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law,

University of Auckland. Claire’s primary area of

research is in Indigenous peoples’ rights in international

and constitutional law, with a comparative focus.

Claire has combined her academic research and

teaching with advocacy for the rights of Indigenous

peoples at the domestic and international levels. From

2010-2013 Claire worked for the UN’s Office of the

High Commissioner for Human Rights in the

Indigenous Peoples and Minorities Section, focusing on

the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous

Peoples.

In 2016 Claire was appointed by the President of the

United Nations General Assembly to advise him on

enhancing Indigenous peoples' participation in the

United Nations.

18

Professor Mark Hickford Dean of Law, Victoria University of Wellington

Professor Mark Hickford graduated with a BA and an

LLB (Hons) from the University of Auckland and

received his doctorate from the University of Oxford in

the United Kingdom.

Prior to becoming Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of

Law at Victoria University of Wellington, he was a

legal practitioner in both the private and state sectors.

Most recently he served in the Prime Minister’s

Advisory Group in the Department of the Prime

Minister and Cabinet from 2010 until 2015. Before that,

he was a Crown Counsel in the Crown Law Office

specialising in Crown-iwi relations law, Treaty of

Waitangi issues and natural resources.

Mark has an extensive research and publishing record,

having published on aboriginal title and customary

rights as well as issues related to the Treaty of Waitangi

and the history of New Zealand’s constitutional

settings.

His most recent book was published in the United

Kingdom and United States by Oxford University Press

in 2011 and was entitled Lords of the Land: Indigenous

Property Rights and the Jurisprudence of Empire.

19

Ms Natalie Coates Associate, Kahui Legal

Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Tuhourangi,

Tūhoe.

Natalie holds honours degrees in Law and Arts (Māori

Studies) from the University of Otago. In 2011 Natalie

received the Fulbright Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga

graduate award, the New Zealand Law Foundation

Ethel Benjamin Scholarship and a Ngārimu VC and

28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Masters Scholarship

for her graduate studies at Harvard University, where

she graduated LLM in 2012.

She was then appointed as a Law Lecturer at the

University of Auckland for two years, teaching

undergraduate courses at all levels.

Natalie joined Kahui Legal in July 2014. At Kahui

Legal, Natalie provides advice to clients on public law,

commercial matters, the law relating to trusts, Māori

land law and Māori, human and indigenous rights.

Natalie has assisted on litigation matters ranging from

the Māori Land Court through to the Supreme Court.

20

Ms Mihiata Pirini Assistant Crown Counsel, Crown Law

Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Whakatōhea

Mihiata worked as a legal and policy adviser at the Law

Commission for four and a half years, working on a

wide range of projects including the review of the

criminal justice response to victims of sexual violence

and the review of New Zealand’s burial and cremation

legislation.

During that time she also helped teach legal research

and writing at Victoria University of Wellington and

acted as an adviser to the Seychelles Civil Code

Revision Committee.

In mid-2016 Mihiata moved from the Commission to

Crown Law, where she advises the Government on

Treaty-related issues.

21

BIOGRAPHIES OF SPEAKERS

SESSION FOUR – LAW REFORM:

REALLY LOOKING AHEAD

22

Lisa Yarwood Senior Legal & Policy Adviser, Law Commission

Lisa graduated LLB (Hons, First Class)/BA from

University of Canterbury and PhD from Exeter

University in 2010 in public international law. She

worked as a lecturer at the University of Exeter (UK)

and at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Hong

Kong).

She has previously worked as an intern at the

International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in Tanzania

in 2006 and completed placements in Panama and Costa

Rica for Australia Volunteers International.

Lisa joined the Law Commission at the start of 2015

and is currently the lead adviser on the review of the

Property (Relationships) Act 1976.

23

Ms Kate Salmond Senior Legal & Policy Adviser, Law Commission

Kate graduated LLB (Hons)/BA from the University of

Otago in 2003. She spent six years working as an

Assistant Crown Counsel and then as an Associate

Crown Counsel in the Criminal Team at Crown Law.

This included a secondment to the Ministry of Justice

where she was involved in the review of New Zealand’s

Prosecution Service.

Kate has also worked as an Intermediate Trial

Prosecutor at Luke Cunningham and Clere and as a

Legal Officer in the Office of the Co-Investigating

Judges in the Extraordinary Chambers of the Courts of

Cambodia.

She joined the Commission in early 2014, where she

has been working mainly on projects related to the

criminal justice system. Kate is currently the lead

adviser on the review of the Criminal Investigations

(Bodily Samples) Act 1995.

24

Mr Paul Comrie-Thomson Legal & Policy Adviser, Law Commission

Paul graduated with a BA in 2013 and LLB (Hons, First

Class) in 2016, both from Victoria University of

Wellington. He joined the Law Commission in 2013 as

a law clerk, and became a Legal and Policy Adviser in

2014.

Paul is currently the lead adviser on the review of

declaratory judgments. He is also a member of the

Victoria University of Wellington Law Review

Editorial Committee and Arbitrator Intelligence.

Paul has a particular interest in private international law

and international arbitration.

25

Mr Pita Roycroft Law Student

Pita has just completed his fourth year of his conjoint

LLB (Hons)/BA at Victoria University of Wellington,

majoring in political science and public policy.

Pita has worked in a variety of government jobs during

his university study, including as a clerk at the Law

Commission in 2015, a Radio Communications

Operator at the Ministry for Primary Industries, and as

an Issues Assistant to a Member of Parliament. His

academic interests include the history, development and

functions of the Speaker of the House, emerging issues

in tort and public law, and the constitutional

responsibilities of final appellate courts.

Pita intends to complete his degree in 2018 and take up

employment at Russell McVeagh through his

scholarship with the firm.

26

Ms Eve Bain Law Student

Eve Bain has just completed her LLB (Hons) degree at

Victoria University of Wellington and was a clerk at

the Law Commission throughout this year.

Prior to this Eve worked part-time for a Member of

Parliament for three years. Eve has a particular interest

in international law, and during her studies has

completed research into the scrutiny function of select

committees and, more recently,into procedural fairness

in investment arbitration.

Eve has represented New Zealand and her university at

a number of international conferences and legal skills

competitions, notably client-interviewing and mooting

competitions.

27

Concluding Remarks

Donna Buckingham Commissioner, Law Commission

Donna Buckingham is an Associate Professor of Law at

the University of Otago (currently on leave). She is the

founder of the New Zealand Legal Information Institute

(NZLII), the largest New Zealand publisher of free

online legal information.

Donna is a Barrister, a former President of the New

Zealand Law Society, Otago Branch and the former

Chair of the Women’s Consultative Group of the

Society. She is also the former President of the

AkoAotearoa Academy of Tertiary Teaching

Excellence.

Donna has published on issues of evidence, the

interpretation of legislation, legal governance and

discipline, legal publishing and access to law and legal

education.

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NOTES:

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Law Commission’s 30th Anniversary Symposium The Law Reform Community in the 21st Century Tick Session One – Law reform: an overview Session Two – Law reform: accessibility Sessoin Three – Law reform: Te Ao Māori Session Four – Law reform: really looking forward Programme attached

I, ............................................state that I attended the above session/s

at the Law Commission’s 30th Anniversary Symposium held on Thursday

3 November 2016, 8.30 am – 4.30 pm.

........................................................

Signature of attendee

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