NZBA Council 2021 - 2023

PAUL RADICH QC President (Wellington)

Paul served as a Council member from 2015 to 2018 and re-joined the Council in 2019 as President Elect, before taking over the presidency in October 2020. Paul has been active in the access to justice field. Together with Maria Dew QC and Felix Geiringer, he has been advocating for legal aid reforms including increasing rates for counsel to make undertaking this work feasible.

Paul has been working actively with Council members to build an understanding of Te Ao Māori into our activities, so that members can prepare for the changes we are already experiencing. A considerable portion of his time, however, has been spent with the Courts and the Ministry of Justice in trying to develop better pathways in civil and criminal justice. This work has become critical during the recent Covid 19 lockdowns. Paul led the initiative to gain an exemption for barristers under the AML/CFT regime, which was obtained successfully earlier this year. He is focused on the regular scheduling of educational and collegial events for members so that issues for members, and the bar as a whole, can be discussed actively and so that camaraderie at the bar can be enhanced.

VICTORIA CASEY QC (Wellington)

Victoria was elected as a Wellington representative in September 2021. She has previously served as the Chair of the Law Society’s Human Rights Committee, presented on numerous aspects of public and administrative law, and provided pro bono representation on matters of public interest.

Victoria recognises the importance of the Bar Association providing collegial support as well as professional leadership, and has a special interest in supporting junior members of the Bar to progress in ways that work best for them. She believes that acknowledging the value of non-traditional career paths will help improve the diversity of the profession. She also wants to focus on the Association’s support of our colleagues across the South Pacific as they work to strengthen respect for human rights and the rule of law.

PHILLIP CORNEGÉ (Waikato/Bay of Plenty)

Phillip is in his second term on Council. Phillip has been a member of the NZBA Education Committee for some time, as well as serving on its Technology Committee. He conducts training for the Association on running paperless hearings and helped with the redrafting of the Senior Courts revised 2019 Electronic Document Protocol.

Aside from his interest in technology, Phillip had been working alongside former Treasurer David O’Neill on finance matters. The Association has been working on strengthening its financial procedures and ensuring that they meet best standards.

Phillip has a particular interest in the reform of Legal Aid, and is acting for the Association (with Felix Geiringer) as intervener on an appeal about the scope of legal aid payments.

MARIA DEW QC President-Elect (Auckland)

We welcome back Maria back to the Council, this time as our President-Elect. Maria will take over the presidency on 1 October 2022. She was last a member of the NZBA Council in 2018. Maria is well known to members, not just through her expertise in employment law and inquiry work, but also through the mahi she does in championing access to justice issues. Although Maria took a brief break from the Council, she has continued to work with NZBA over the last two years as the current co-chair of the Advocacy Committee and the former Access to Justice Working Group.

Maria returns to the Council with the aim to assist the Bar Association as it continues its important work supporting barristers’ independence, specialist skills and growing the diversity of the bar. “The rule of law and access to justice issues that can challenge all lawyers are often seen first-hand by barristers, so we do have a collective knowledge that we can use to seek reform and to support each other in practise through NZBA”.

DR SIMON FOOTE QC (Auckland)

Simon is a barrister at Bankside Chambers in Auckland with a commercial litigation and arbitration practice. He went to the Bar in 2002, prior to which he worked at major firms in Wellington, Auckland and London, and as a Crown Prosecutor in Palmerston North. He has been Chair or Deputy Chair of the Organising Committees for the 2014 World Bar Conference at Queenstown and the NZBA Conferences from 2015 - 2021. Simon also chairs the Membership Committee and participates as an advocacy trainer in the NZBA Mastering Advocacy Faculty. Simon was appointed silk in December 2019 and completed a PhD in international law in 2020.

FELIX GEIRINGER (Wellington)

Felix joined the Council in 2019. He has been an active member of several Association committees and this year became co-chair of the Advocacy Committee. Felix has a broad practice based in Wellington. He has been involved in highprofile cases, particularly in the fields of commercial law, defamation, human rights, trusts, and Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Felix previously worked for Clifford Chance (London) in its banking regulation team. He was also called to the bar in England as a member of Lincoln’s Inn and worked at the well-known human rights set, Doughty Street Chambers. He has made several appearances in the New Zealand Supreme Court and the Privy Council.

TARYN GUDMANZ (Otago)

Taryn is a Dunedin-based civil litigator, who joined the independent bar in 2016. She was also admitted in England & Wales. In addition to general commercial litigation, Taryn undertakes inquisitorial work and is an accredited mediator.

Taryn is also the President of the NZLS Otago Branch. Taryn believes that collegiality is vital for the independent bar; it offers an important support network for practitioners. She thinks it is essential that the Council keeps improving the resources available in this area. Taryn says that the NZBA also offers an important voice on matters of significance to the profession, the public and the rule of law and this should continue to be a focus for the Council.

GENEVIEVE HASZARD (Waikato/Bay of Plenty)

Genevieve joins the Bar Council in October 2021 as one of two representatives elected for the Waikato/Bay of Plenty District. Genevieve is also the elected branch council representative for Tauranga on the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Branch of the New Zealand Law Society. In addition to these representative roles in which Genevieve is able to be a voice for members practicing in Tauranga and wider region, her NZ Bar Council role also allows her to contribute to the broader functions and work of the Association. Genevieve is particularly interested in assisting with the work of the Bar Council in upholding the rule of law, law reform in the area of criminal and family law and practical ways to improve access to justice and the legal aid framework. In addition, Genevieve is an advocate for the continued development of a positive culture of practicing well and ensuring our members remain resilient and healthy.

RICHARD McGUIRE Associate Member Rep (Canterbury)

Richard has been with the Public Defence Service since 2011. Prior to this time, he was a director in a firm in Christchurch where he had a general practice including a focus on criminal defence law, and family law. He held appointments as lawyer for child and as a youth advocate. He is a former President of the Canterbury Criminal Bar Association. Richard is a member of the NZBA Criminal Committee, Membership Committee and the Access to Justice Committee.

TIHO MIJATOV (Wellington)

Tiho is a barrister at Stout Street Chambers, Wellington. He has experience in a wide range of commercial, public law, criminal and disciplinary matters and regularly appears in courts at first instance and on appeal. Tiho has been involved with the NZBA for several years, including preparation of legal submissions for the NZBA’s intervention in court cases; law reform submissions on matters as varied as access to justice civil reforms, evidence, and professional rules; and guidance on public comment and media statements on rule of law issues. Tiho looks forward to the NZBA continuing to promote the practice of law at the independent bar.

JAMES RAPLEY QC (Canterbury)

James joined the independent bar in 2004 and was appointed a Queen’s Counsel in 2018. He specialises in criminal defence litigation and has appeared in numerous highprofile trials and regularly appears in the Court of Appeal. He has been a member of our Training Committee for some years and is its Co-Chair. James is the criminal stream Course Director for the NZBA’s Mastering Advocacy Programme. He is also the Director of the 2022 NZLS Litigation Skills course and has been a faculty member since 2006. Since 2003 he has taught Trial Advocacy at the University of Canterbury. James has also taught Trial Advocacy overseas at the University of South Pacific, Vanuatu, for PILON in Samoa and for the ABA in Sydney and Melbourne. James is a member of the Legal Advisory Services Board and is a panellist on the Racing Integrity Board Appeal Tribunal panel.

James hopes to bring to the Council thoughts and views from the mainland as well as promoting, improving and supporting our members’ ongoing legal education. Having decided to learn te reo Māori he is very keen to encourage the NZBA and its members to join him and so many others in incorporating te ao Māori into their legal practice.

SETAREH STIENSTRA (Auckland)

Setareh is a barrister and a member of Kate Sheppard Chambers. She appears in various courts and tribunals regularly across New Zealand. She is a skilled trial and appellate advocate, specialising in public law, regulatory compliance, environment and property. She has represented public sector agencies, corporate clients, iwi and hapu trusts, and private individuals. She has been involved in a number precedent setting cases in the areas of resource management and local government.

Prior to joining the independent bar in 2014 Setareh was a senior practitioner at two leading national law firms, Dentons Kensington Swan and Simpson Grierson.

Setareh enjoys working with the legal profession’s voluntary bodies. She is an elected member of the Executive of the NZLS Property Law Section and the ADLS Environment and Local Government Committee. In 2019 Setereh was elected to the Council of the New Zealand Bar Association (NZBA). She has been reelected for her third term in 2021. Her goals for this term on the NZBA Council are two fold. Firstly, Setareh would like to continue her work on inclusivity in the legal profession. Secondly, to promote inclusivity, she would like to work on an evolution of the mentoring system we have in place. She would like to see a focus on mentoring for those who are first generation lawyers in New Zealand and to create support structures that involve more than one mentor. She is keen to hear from all barristers on these two projects.

ANNE TOOHEY (Canterbury)

Anne is a barrister at Canterbury Chambers in Christchurch and has a general practice in civil, employment and criminal litigation. Prior to joining the independent bar, she worked from admission in 1996 as a civil and criminal litigator.

Anne is currently a senior counsel assisting to the Royal Commission for Abuse in Care, leading the investigation into state residences. She is a panel prosecutor for the Serious Fraud Office, conducts criminal appeals, and is appointed as a counsel assisting in coronial, civil and criminal matters.

This is Anne’s third term as a member of the Council. She wants to continue to work hard to promote the Bar as a career option, to work on training initiatives, mentoring, gender equity in briefing, and contributing to law reform. "Barristers face different professional issues, and it is important that we are represented with the Heads of Bench, government, and NZLS". The NZBA is consulted on a plethora of issues, including changes to the NZLS conduct rules, court rules, and the daily practical challenges of litigating in lockdown. There is much work behind the scenes to ensure that the Bar is a rewarding career for all who practice as barristers, that the independence of the profession is maintained.

Anne is a member of our Annual Conference Committee, Diversity Committee and Management Committee.

OFFICERS AND CO-OPTED COUNCIL MEMBERS

Our Rules of Association allow the Council to co-opt up to five members to the council to meet certain needs. Co-opted members will be appointed when the new Council meets for the first time in October.

The Council will also appoint the office holders, including the Vice-Presidents, Treasurer and Secretary, at that meeting.

If you have any questions, please contact our Executive Director via our website contact form at https://www.nzbar.org.nz/contact-nzba.