Justice Centre | 19 Aitken Street
DX SX10088 | Wel ington
T 04 918 8800 |
F 04 918 8820
[email address] | www.justice.govt.nz
12 December 2025
Grace Haden
[FYI request #32951 email]
Our ref: DSC 128011
Tēnā koe Grace
Concerns regarding the New Zealand Law Society, court processes, and lawyer
accountability
I refer to your emails of 21 and 28 November 2025, regarding your concerns about the
conduct of a lawyer, the actions of the New Zealand Law Society (the Law Society), and
various court proceedings in which you have been involved.
As noted in the Ministry of Justice’s (the Ministry) email of 27 November 2025, we are
treating your email as a general Ministry correspondence rather than as a request under the
Of icial Information Act 1982 (the Act). In that email, you were advised that the matters you
raised would be addressed as an official correspondence and not under the Act.
The Ministry cannot comment on or intervene in judicial decisions related to specific cases.
The courts must be able to operate independently and without interference from Ministers or
officials. This is a fundamental principle of our constitutional system and is essential to
maintaining the integrity of the justice system.
In your correspondence, you raise a number of concerns about the New Zealand Law
Society’s (the Law Society) regulatory functions, including your belief that it did not
appropriately address concerns you raised about the actions of a lawyer. You have also
asked broader questions about accountability mechanisms for self-represented lawyers,
safeguards around misconduct in civil proceedings, and how courts assess what is “in the
public interest.”
The Law Society’s regulatory functions are underpinned by statutory safeguards designed to
maintain the integrity of the legal professional and protect consumers. The legal framework
governing lawyers aims to ensure public confidence in the provision of legal services.
These flow through to the fundamental obligations on lawyers which not only include the
obligation to protect the interests of clients but extend to upholding the rule of
law, facilitating the administration of justice, to be independent, and to act in accordance
with all fiduciary duties and duties of care.
The Rules of Conduct and Client Care for lawyers apply to all lawyers, when providing legal
services. The rules are not an exhaustive statement of the conduct expected of lawyers.
They set the minimum standards that lawyers must observe and are a reference point for
discipline. A lawyer’s conduct not connected with providing legal services can also be found
to not meet standards expected of lawyers or that would make them unsuitable to continue
to practice.
The Minister of Justice, Hon Paul Goldsmith has considered the recommendations made in
the 2023 independent review of the current legal framework for regulating lawyers. This
included examining whether the Law Society’s dual role as a regulatory body and
professional membership organisation should be separated. More information on this review
is available on the Law Society’s website:
www.lawsociety.org.nz/about-us/independent-
review/.
At this time, the Government’s justice work programme is focused on priority areas, including
reducing violent crime and improving court timeliness. The Minister of Justice is not currently
progressing work to reform the regulatory framework for lawyers.
The broader questions you raise about court processes, such as how misconduct is
addressed in civil proceedings, the oversight of self-represented lawyers, and how the
judiciary applies public-interest tests are matters for the courts themselves. Al egations of
criminal conduct should be reported to the Police to be managed through their assessment
and investigation processes.
As you have already taken steps to progress this matter, you may find it helpful to seek
further independent legal advice. Lawyers will be best placed to advise on the options
available to you. You may be able to get free legal advice and information from your nearest
Community Law Centre. Further information, including the contact details of your local centre
can be found on the
Community Law website.
I trust you find this information useful.
Nāku noa, nā
Megan Noyce
Acting General Manager, Courts and Justice Services Policy
