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Category archives for: Screaming Headline

DLA Phillips Fox’s Big Day

From NBR Briefcase – Who would have thought when Phillips Nicholson, formed right back in Petone in 1884 that they would eventually go on to be part of what is – wait for it! – the biggest firm in the world. The continued worldwide expansion of the DLA Piper juggernaut has now used the trans-Tasman [...]

Feb 4 2011 | Posted in Big Lawyers,Featured,Screaming Headline,The Firm | Read More »

“Sieg Heil” Mr Jensen

Cactus Kate has pointed out that Napier lawyerPhilip Jensen, fined $1500 for cultivating and possessing cannabis because of what his lawyer called his cannabis addiction and requested that Jensen be discharged without conviction. She asks whether this was the same Philip Jensen who stood up in a Napier Court room and in defending a Mongrel [...]

Jan 23 2011 | Posted in Legal Exotica,Screaming Headline,Screaming Scandals | Read More »

Big Trouble With The Judges

NBR Briefcase – John Bowie – The ‘Briefcase’ column comments that it’s worth noting recent comments from some highly experienced commercial lawyers who expressed dismay at the standing of the New Zealand judiciary and its ability to adequately handle high level commercial litigation. This is not just due to the Wilson affair, which was needed [...]

Dec 20 2010 | Posted in Big Lawyers,Screaming Headline,The Bench | Read More »

Investigators Replace Reporters in Greymouth

Briefcase Column, NBR. The onset of two enquiries into the Pike River tragedy has seen Greymouth’s massive influx of reporters, who covered the tragedy for local and international media, being replaced by investigators involved in the two, current enquiries. Greymouth lawyer Colin Smith, from Hannan and Seddon, spoke to me about the previous “two weeks [...]

Dec 12 2010 | Posted in Screaming Headline | Read More »

Saving The Ducks . . Not The Miners

NBR Reports (Briefcase) – Appointing former Coaster Justice Panckhurst to preside over the Pike River Mine tragedy may have been an obvious choice, but the various enquiries underway will undoubtedly take considerable time to wend their way to their finality. Apart from inevitable questions about safety and infrastructure issues involving New Zealand mining, which seem [...]

Dec 1 2010 | Posted in Screaming Headline,Screaming Scandals | Read More »

Producers Hit Pause on Mel Gibson Movies With Legal Woes

Put the pause on Mel Gibson’s recent movies. The actor’s real-life saga right now is front and center, as the industry and fans wait to see how interrelated domestic abuse and extortion probes, as well as a child-custody case, play out. An investigation into whether Mel Gibson was the victim of an extortion plot is [...]

Nov 24 2010 | Posted in Screaming Headline,Screaming Scandals | Read More »

Justice Wilson – The Remaining Questions

‘Briefcase‘ reports on the Justice Wilson resignation, commenting that he was never going to face the music at the Judicial Conduct Panel hearing. As John Bowie writes: ” But while the retirement may appear to avoid nasty questions, it also leaves many unanswered. For instance, what did the Chief Justice know about his relationship with [...]

Oct 27 2010 | Posted in Big Lawyers,Screaming Headline | Read More »

Getting Into Davy Jones’ Locker – And the Private Eye

Kristy Fraser-Kirk, the “publicist” who raided the David Jones locker to the tune of $850,000 despite suing for the absurdly ridiculous $37 million in what was presumably a “I’m Charlize Theron” moment. But she may well be the Grinch who steals the Christmas party according to a Brisbane lawyer who says the case will make [...]

Oct 20 2010 | Posted in Featured,Legal Exotica,Screaming Headline | Read More »

Dressing Down More Lawyers

More lawyers are in line to be banned by the Legal Services Agency for failing to Legal Service Agency standards. This follows last week’s banning of three lawyers in South Auckland, two of whom are under Police investigation as well. All of them face investigation and disciplinary action from the Law Society and Law Society [...]

Oct 14 2010 | Posted in Screaming Headline,Screaming Scandals | Read More »

LSA’s Name and Shame

The Legal Services Agency started its public listing of delisted legal aid lawyers by naming the first three to be so listed on Wednesday. The Auckland lawyers, Iuni Sapolu, Josie Fuimaono-Sapolu and Brett Ravelich are prevented from providing further legal aid services. The moves follow Dame Margaret Bazley’s report on legal aid and the government’s [...]

Oct 14 2010 | Posted in Screaming Headline,Screaming Scandals | Read More »

Bashing Poor Middle Aged White Guys – Like Paul Henry

Cactus Kate, the country’s most ascerbic blogger, has rushed to the aid of Paul Henry as a victim of white middle-aged bashing with his latest bon mots. “Henry is now a victim of the white middle-class male bashing machine that exists so prevalently in New Zealand. David Garrett had his turn a few weeks ago, [...]

Oct 6 2010 | Posted in Howling Interviews,Screaming Headline,Screaming Scandals | Read More »

Henry the Eighth Quake Measures

Vic Uni lecturer Dean Knight is not particularly happy with the speed-of-light passing of the Canterbury Earthquake emergency law. To quote: The Bill contains a massive Henry VIII’s clause, allowing the Minister to re-write any legislation that is “reasonably necessary or expedient for the purpose of the Act”. The power to direct the Governor-General to [...]

Sep 22 2010 | Posted in Screaming Headline,The Hill | Read More »

They Stone Lawyers, Don’t They?

It’s tough being a lawyer at the best of times – well, kind of – but being a lawyer in Iran is beyond even being a South Auckland boot-banger. Take women’s rights activist Shiva Ahari, (pictured) for instance, who now faces the highly sophisticated threat of being stoned to death for dodgy charges levelled against [...]

Sep 7 2010 | Posted in Featured,Screaming Headline,Screaming Scandals,The Ladies | Read More »

Judge v. Judge

Let battle commence. The application by Justice Bill Wilson for judicial review of the decision by the Judicial Conduct Commissioner Sir David Gascoigne to appoint a panel to consider his removal from office is obviously historic, reports John Bowie in the NBR “Briefcase” column. It has also drawn accusation and counter-accusation. It’s a first that [...]

Sep 1 2010 | Posted in Featured,Screaming Headline | Read More »

The Galbraith Issue

Apart from Justice Wilson, Alan Galbraith draws attention to himself by virtue of his own handling of the extensive business relationship he had with Justice Wilson. Putting aside the Judge’s conflict and the obligations upon him to disclose it, it is less clear how far Galbraith had gone to do the same thing. It may [...]

Aug 23 2010 | Posted in Big Lawyers,Photos,Screaming Headline | Read More »