news and events

Christchurch City Council has approved the implementation of a proposed new approach to the management of privately owned vacant sites in the Central City.  The “Vacant Sites Programme” is intended to encourage landowners to either develop their land or ensure it is being used positively in the short term before development.

Were employees who did not perform work during Covid-19 entitled to receive minimum wage paid for their contractually guaranteed hours? After a few months’ waiting with bated breath, we finally have an answer: the Employment Court has released the Gate … Continue reading Employment Court Releases Important COVID-19 Decision

Four Lane Neave Partners and two teams have been recognised in the 2021 Chambers and Partners guide to leading global legal professionals. Andrew Shaw, Evelyn Jones, Anna Ryan and Graeme Crombie have all achieved individual rankings and the Employment … Continue reading Lane Neave Recognised in Annual Global Legal Guide

Consumer protection law expert Anna Ryan will provide a practical session on topical issues in marketing law.

The Privacy Act 2020 (Act) came into effect on 1 December 2020. Some of the key changes include the introduction of the new privacy principle 12, which relates to the disclosure of information overseas, and the new privacy breach notification regime. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner has released model clauses and a breach notification tool that will assist businesses and organisations comply with the new obligations under the Act.

Following the ban of single use plastic shopping bags in 2019, the Government (through the Ministry for the Environment (MfE)) is continuing work around reducing plastic waste.

Traditionally the preserve of tech start-ups and large corporates, we are seeing employee share schemes (ESS) increasingly used by all types of small-to-medium sized businesses. A well-designed ESS offers rewards for key employees, an incentive for attracting staff and potential for succession planning. This article discusses some common features of ESSs and a few pitfalls to avoid.

Not many people would say that 2020 has been a smooth run. For business owners, this has meant they have had to re-assess strategic goals, pivot in their delivery of products or services, hibernate certain offerings (or the entire business), keep a sharp eye on costs and/or substantively alter business plans.

On 17 October 2020 the election results were announced for New Zealand, presenting a landslide victory for the Labour Government. As the results currently stand, the Labour Government is in a position to form a Government on their own1. We therefore, expect to see a number of Labour policies come to fruition over the next three year term.

Lawyer Shelley Kopu gave a moving address at the recent Employment Law Conference in Wellington. During Shelley Kopu’s address regarding the topic “Does the manner in which we practise employment law reflect and honour a multi-cultural society?” I was personally moved by her insightful and thought provoking presentation.