A nod to the past; a look to the future

Vice-President Caroline Silk explores the quote “Occasions for defining moments do not arise every day. When they do, we must seize the opportunities they present for improving everyone’s life” and its application to New Zealand. She also gives a brief overview of the Law Society’s activities over the last quarter,…

‘Not Guilty, Your Honour’: Forging a national duty solicitor scheme: a memoir

Oliver Sutherland recalls his involvement almost fifty years ago with the first ‘home-made’ duty solicitor scheme established in Nelson, including some of the traumatic beginnings of what became the National Duty Solicitor Scheme.

Our most significant legislator

Sir Geoffrey Palmer is a household name in the legal profession in Aotearoa New Zealand. LawTalk speaks exclusively to Sir Geoffrey about some of his greatest achievements, the New Zealand ‘sandbox’ and the ease to which we have made constitutional and legal change, and some of the warning signs and…

A view from the Minister

Minister of Justice, the Honourable Kiritapu Allan, explores the Government’s work to date in the justice space, and offers a view of where we might be heading with our legal and constitutional framework.

Key Legal Milestones in Aotearoa New Zealand’s legal and constitutional development

LawTalk speaks to four of our changemakers across the generations and from different parts of society to understand the key milestones or events that shaped either their own futures and caeers, or those events which shaped the future of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Auckland barrister a victim of identity theft on bogus website

A relatively new type of experience for practitioners across Aotearoa New Zealand, LawTalk explores the discomforting experience of discovering a fake website was created in James Olsen’s name, and what steps practitioners can take to preventing and stopping further instances of this.

An update from the Independent Review

Independent Review Chair Ron Paterson gives the profession an update on some of the earlier indicators of the success of the Independent Review’s consultation on changes to the Law Society and legal profession.

Preventing complaints about your fees

What can you do to prevent complaints about overcharging of fees? Each year the Lawyers Complaints Service receives numerous complaints about fees. LawTalk explores some options for the profession to ensure your client has realistic expectations to avoid problems later.

September is conversations about philanthropy: helping your clients understand their options

It’s Wills Month, and there is never a better time to get your affairs in order than now. Eleanor Cater from New Zealand’s Community Foundations network shares with LawTalk the importance of making a will and what options are available for those looking to give to charity and other organisations.