At The Bar
September 2008
Outgoing President’s Eighth Report Finds Bar In Good Heart As reported by Jim Farmer QC at the 2008 Annual General Meeting in Sydney
Delivering his final and eighth report as president of the New Zealand Bar Association had been the most satisfying as it recorded the continued progress of the association as an important, effective and influential professional body, said Dr James Farmer QC. He said that it was truly amazing that the association had grown from such small beginnings to an association of 820 voluntary members who joined for no other reason than that they saw value to themselves in belonging. Dr Farmer noted that the annual conference, which had traditionally been held in Queenstown, had in 2007 been moved to Christchurch, where it had proved to be a considerable success. In 2008, the association had for the first time ventured offshore to Sydney. It could be expected that the success of that conference would encourage further travel plans in the future, perhaps aligning the association with some of the highly successful conferences of the Australian Bar Association held in Europe and North America.
Retired Court of Appeal judge and inaugural NZBA president, Ted Thomas with Monique Pearson, NZBA Executive Director, and outgoing President Jim Farmer QC
the year included a junior barristers’ cocktail function and a 20th anniversary cocktail function. Dr Farmer said that the council had continued to meet regularly in locations around the country, as well as experimenting with holding a council meeting by videoconference as a means of reducing costs. Pursuant to changes made in 2007 to the constitution, four vicepresidents had been elected – Miriam Dean QC in Auckland, Chris Gudsell QC in Hamilton, Colin Carruthers QC in Wellington and Jonathan Eaton in the South Island.
Dr Farmer said that the NZBA had in February 2008 joined with the Legal Research Foundation to run a well-attended and provocative conference on the state of civil litigation titled Civil Litigation in Crisis - What Crisis? On 10 July a seminar had been held for junior and intermediate litigators titled Take the Lead and Shape Your Future. It had been so successful that it was to be repeated Council members had been kept busy in October. On 14 March 2008, the with submissions, and the perenniallyNZBA had acted as joint host with See pages 14 & 15 controversial issue of the intervention the New Zealand Law Society at a rule had occupied much time and special dinner to celebrate the 50th attention. Dr Farmer said that Trevor Shiels had continued anniversary of the permanent Court of Appeal. his work as Treasurer, and also undertook the drafting of The association’s support of and relationship with the further constitutional changes. Chris Gudsell QC and David judiciary had also been marked by the second annual Bigio had been involved in continuing negotiations over the Bench and Bar dinner, held in Auckland in 2008. Dinners difficult issue of insurance cover. had also been held in Auckland and Wellington to celebrate During the year, the association had appointed as life the appointments of new silks. On 13 June, in conjunction members former judges Simon Lockhart QC, Tom Goddard with the Auckland District Law Society, a dinner had CNZM, John Hansen DCNZM and Noel Anderson QC. been held in honour of Justice Noel Anderson to mark his Dr Farmer said that the wisdom of having a full-time retirement from the Supreme Court and to honour over 20 Executive Director had continued to be vindicated. years of service on the bench. Other functions held during
2008 Annual Conference photos inside
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