From the President

Meri Kirihimete | Merry Christmas | Happy Holidays

This is it for the year.

A burst of frantic activity in this new role as President for our Bar Council and Executive team and then a much-needed holiday for us all, perfect. I know from speaking with other barristers and lawyers, we are all tired and in need of a break. So, over these last few weeks, enjoy the company of your clients and colleagues and then enjoy a sun and sand filled holiday with friends and whanau. This final President’s report for 2022 finishes with some good news, highlights, from October and November, and thanks to all for a successful year.

Kings Counsel appointments – a first since 1952

Congratulations to our ten new King's Counsel Northland – Catherine Cull, Auckland – Bronwyn Carruthers, Nicholas Chisnall, David Cooper, Tiffany Cooper, Jason Goodall, Simon Mitchell, Wellington –Andrew Butler, Christchurch – Stephanie Grieve and Lisa Preston. They each carry the unique privilege of being our first appointed King's Counsel since 1952. These appointments reflect the Attorney-General David Parker's continued commitment to recognising the rank of King's Counsel as important both to the profession and the community. It is a mark of excellence and leadership in the profession. I do want to acknowledge that these are ideals that I know all barristers aspire to achieve and support in our daily work, whether we have the responsibility of the rank of King's Counsel or not. However, we can be rightly proud of those who achieve this position. The work of living up to the rank begins on appointment. We look forward to sharing this special moment with each of you at your call ceremonies and dinners in the New Year, likely to be in late February or early March 2023.

Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care

This may seem like a sombre note for a final Christmas column. However, it is important to acknowledge the significance of this event, our largest and longest running Royal Commission in New Zealand’s legal history. The Commission started its work in 2020, and in October 2022 the last in-person hearing days concluded. The final report is due to be released in June 2023.

Over 2,200 survivors shared their experiences with the Commission. Over 150 barristers and other lawyers have been involved as counsel assisting the Commission, acting for participants and on the legal assistance panels, spread across the country. I also had the privilege of appearing as counsel for one of the faith-based institutions in the last week of hearings and attended the very moving final closing of the Royal Commission hearings.

The barristers involved have either worked for the Commission, survivors or the state and faith-based institutions. The skills and learnings that we have all gained by participating in this Commission are likely to impact the way we practice law into the future. The Chair of the Commission, Judge Coral Shaw has remarked recently that it is one of the most challenging events that she has been involved in across her career.

Judge Shaw delivered the 25th Annual Ethel Benjamin Address in Dunedin on 29 September 2022, on the eve of the closing of the hearings in the Royal Commission. Judge Shaw said:

“…this is a job like no other and has stretched me like no other. It has affected me profoundly both personally and professionally. It has opened my eyes to a previously unspoken and shameful history of cruel abuse and neglect of the most vulnerable in our society. It has caused me to reflect long and hard on what it truly means to be a responsible citizen of Aotearoa/New Zealand.”

The lawyers involved are also likely to have experienced something similar. They will all have gained valuable knowledge about trauma informed legal work and “do no harm” models for practising law and dealing with clients and survivors. These are skills for lawyers that, in my view, will increasingly be recognised and valued as we are called upon to assist clients in more sophisticated ways to resolve disputes.

On a more superficial note, the purpose-built hearing rooms in Newmarket, Auckland were a superb hearing venue. They provided private meeting rooms, flexible hearing room space and state of the art remote public hearing facilities. It is pleasing to hear that the space may well be taken over by the Ministry of Justice for future use.

Juniors Committee

Our Bar Council had its final in-person meeting in Auckland on 25 November. We know that 2023 is going to be a busy year. However, among the many items we discussed, I am pleased to report that the Council has committed to establishing and supporting a Junior Bar Committee. We have had various iterations of this in past, but after Covid-19 we know that the junior bar has a real desire to connect with one another. So, we are welcoming all junior barristers to join the Committee (i.e., generally those who have 5 years PQE or less). If you are interested, please email president@nzbar.org.nz.

Senior barristers, if you employ or work with other juniors, please encourage them to join, or even better, pay for them to join the Bar Association. This connection is so important to ensure juniors get the regular support of other juniors at the bar.

Annual Conference 2023

Following on from our highly successful conference this year, we are already in full planning mode for 2023. I can now announce that our annual conference will be held in Christchurch on 15-16 September 2023, so block those days out in your calendar. We will update you on our plans as they progress.

Thank you

Thank you to our Council and Executive team It has been a delight to work with each of you. I want to recognise the significant voluntary work you do for the Bar Council and ultimately for the benefit of the profession and community. The mahi of this Council and our Executive team, cannot be understated; speaking out on rule of law, administration of justice and law reform issues and working on our education and conference is for the benefit of us all at the bar. So, thank you all for your work this year.

• Paul Radich KC

• Simon Foote KC (VP Auckland)

• Victoria Casey KC

• James Rapley KC

• Kellie Arthur

• Felix Geiringer (VP Wellington)

• Phillip Cornegé (Treasurer and VP Provincial Areas)

• Gowan Duff

• Taryn Gudmanz

• Genevieve Haszard

• Iswari Jayanadan

• Sam Jeffs

• Stephen Layburn

• Richard McGuire

• Tiho Mijatov

• Kingi Snelgar

• Anne Toohey (VP South Island)

• Maggie Winterstein

I particularly wish to acknowledge our Executive team, Jacqui Thompson, Executive Director, Lisa Mills, Education and Events Director, Dianne Tietjens, Accounts Manager and Carolyn Kay, Administration Assistant.

Dedication

This edition of “At the Bar” is dedicated to the memory of Sir Ian Barker KC who died in November 2022.

Maria

President@nzbar.org.nz

New Members

Her Honour Judge Kathryn Beck AUCKLAND

Josie Beverwijk AUCKLAND

Sally Brick AUCKLAND

Pauline Courtney WELLINGTON

Deborah (Debbie) Crawford AUCKLAND

Claire Farquhar AUCKLAND

Andrew Finnie AUCKLAND

Robyn Glynn AUCKLAND

Susan Hayward HAWKES BAY

Samuel (Sam) Henry CANTERBURY

Anthony Hill WELLINGTON

Ronja Holz WAIKATO

Bingqing (Tracey) Hu

Peter Magee

Clare Murphy

William Potter AUCKLAND

Graeme Riach CANTERBURY

Jacinda Rennie WELLINGTON

Jane Rushton WAIKATO

Katherine (Kate) Venning Cooper AUCKLAND

Emily Walton CANTERBURY

Jennifer (Jen) Wilson AUCKLAND

Bridgette White AUCKLAND