TR – Legal Insight New Zealand
type: channel
description: Just another Legal Hub site
date: 2025-10-13T04:29:46Z
update period: hourly
update frequency: 1
update base: 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00
generator agent: https://wordpress.org/
items: The Expert’s Edge: Current Environment and Resource Management Law insights from our leading editors
items: The Expert’s Edge: Current Local Government Law insights from our leading editors
items: The urgent legal challenge for military space law
items: The Expert’s Edge: Current Criminal Law insights from our leading editors
items: The Expert’s Edge: New Zealand’s Aviation and Space Law insights from our leading editors
items: The Expert’s Edge: Current Employment Law insights from our leading editors
items: The Expert’s Edge: Current Civil Litigation insights from our leading editors
items: The ROI of Legal Tech & AI Report 2025
items: New Zealand’s Online Casino Gambling Bill Introduced, and New Online Race and Sports Betting Ban in Place
items: 6 lessons on AI adoption for New Zealand lawyers

The Expert’s Edge: Current Environment and Resource Management Law insights from our leading editors
type: item
creator: Thomson Reuters
date: 2025-10-21T01:00:00Z
subject: Legal Commentary and Opinion
subject: Legal Industry
subject: Legal Research
subject: Legal Trends
subject: Legislation and Case Law
subject: Research and Commentary
subject: Research and Know-How
subject: Trends and the Future of Law
subject: environmental
subject: legal commentary
subject: legal industry
subject: Legal Intelligence
subject: resource management
description: As the legal landscape continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, staying ahead of the curve has never been more critical for lawyers and their clients. In our ongoing commitment… The post The Expert’s Edge: Current Environment and Resource Management Law insights from our leading editors appeared first on TR - Legal Insight New Zealand.
encoded: As the legal landscape continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, staying ahead of the curve has never been more critical for lawyers and their clients. In our ongoing commitment to providing unparalleled legal intelligence, this latest installment of our Expert’s Edge series we sit down with Stephen Blakeley BA LLB, senior legal editor, to find out how environmental law in New Zealand affects different aspects of our lives. What does your role as a legal editor at Thomson Reuters entail? I’m a Senior Editor, Writer and Editorial Coordinator with the Commentary team at Thomson Reuters New Zealand, where I have worked for almost 20 years. My role includes editorial responsibility for a number of publications, including Resource Management, Salmon Environmental Law, Building Law in New Zealand, Green and Hunt on Arbitration Law and Practice and Environmental Handbook. I am the in-house author for Salmon Environmental Law, and I also write the case summaries for our weekly environmental bulletin YourEnvironment (also available daily on Alert 24). My typical weekly work involves a mix of writing and editing manuscripts, coordinating with contributing authors and assisting with team administration. I work with our Production and Technology teams to ensure our content is available as quickly as possible on Westlaw New Zealand, Proview and in looseleaf. What is it about environmental law that interests you? My main area of practice is environmental law. It is fascinating as it is a fast-changing, dynamic area of law, particularly at the moment with the Government’s upcoming change in the resource management system. It is also interesting as the environment, and our interaction with it, has a real and tangible impact on all our lives. What are some of the key developments currently shaping environmental law? The Government is in the process of replacing the Resource Management Act 1991 with new legislation, expected to be passed into law next year. We anticipate consider…

The Expert’s Edge: Current Local Government Law insights from our leading editors
type: item
creator: Thomson Reuters
date: 2025-10-14T01:00:00Z
subject: Legal Commentary and Opinion
subject: Legal Industry
subject: Legal Research
subject: Legal Trends
subject: Legislation and Case Law
subject: Opinion
subject: Research and Commentary
subject: Research and Know-How
subject: Trends and the Future of Law
subject: legal commentary
subject: legal industry
subject: Legal Intelligence
subject: local govt
description: As the legal landscape continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, staying ahead of the curve has never been more critical for lawyers and their clients. In our ongoing commitment… The post The Expert’s Edge: Current Local Government Law insights from our leading editors appeared first on TR - Legal Insight New Zealand.
encoded: As the legal landscape continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, staying ahead of the curve has never been more critical for lawyers and their clients. In our ongoing commitment to providing unparalleled legal intelligence, this latest installment of our Expert’s Edge series, we sit down with Rebecca Atkins BA (Hons) LLB, senior portfolio editor, to understand in more detail what is involved in maintaining Thomson Reuter’s suite of local government law offerings. What does your role as legal editor at Thomson Reuters entail? I oversee and manage the commentary and legislation content for different publications, including Local Government Law in New Zealand (hardcopy and on Westlaw NZ). Staying up to date and informed about parliamentary processes and government announcements is crucial for understanding the evolving landscape of NZ local government law. My day starts with scanning the New Zealand Parliament website and other Government department websites for upcoming legislative changes, paying close attention to Bills nearing assent and any that are fast-moving. I then collaborate with the relevant authors, discussing the Bills’ progress and implications and planning next steps in terms of updating commentary. I spend a lot of hours coordinating incoming manuscripts from authors and editing them for clarity, accuracy and usability on Westlaw NZ. Generally, this means verifying every case citation and legislation reference, checking judgment quotations and pinpointing paragraph locations, and ensuring the style and structure of cross-references to commentary, cases and legislation will support robust linking to primary materials on Westlaw NZ. After editorial review, the manuscript is converted into a mark-up language that uses tags to describe the style and format of the data. I complete a quality check to confirm new and amended content is present and every Westlaw NZ link-generating tag has been populated correctly. Once approved, the update is published acr…

The urgent legal challenge for military space law
type: item
creator: Thomson Reuters
date: 2025-10-13T04:29:44Z
subject: Innovation and Disruption in Law
subject: Innovation and Technology
subject: Legal Commentary and Opinion
subject: Trends and the Future of Law
subject: legal know-how
description: A new arms race is unfolding in space, warns a leading legal authority. As satellites evolve from peaceful tools into potential weapons – and targets – of war, and the… The post The urgent legal challenge for military space law appeared first on TR - Legal Insight New Zealand.
encoded: A new arms race is unfolding in space, warns a leading legal authority. As satellites evolve from peaceful tools into potential weapons – and targets – of war, and the prospect of human habitation on the moon looms, nations are scrambling to understand how international law applies when conflict reaches the cosmos. With Russia developing anti-satellite capabilities and recently accused by the United States of planning to deploy a nuclear weapon in space, China testing space weapons and the US establishing its Space Force, the militarisation of space has become an immediate reality rather than science fiction. Professor Dale Stephens, expert author of The Laws of Australia and Chair of the Board of Governance of the groundbreaking Woomera Manual on the International Law of Military Space Activities and Operations, highlights that we’re entering uncharted legal territory. “Space itself is a venue for military operations … a theatre of operations,” he states. The shocking legal void Perhaps most alarming is the revelation that after more than six decades of space exploration, there’s still no international agreement on where outer space even begins. Professor Stephens notes, “There has been no agreement in international law as to that point of differentiation [between airspace and outer space].” This ambiguity creates a dangerous grey zone where military operations could unfold without clear legal boundaries. What we do know, according to Professor Stephens, is that “outer space is certainly where a satellite can remain in full orbit”. But this functional definition barely scratches the surface of the complex legal challenges emerging as nations prepare for potential space warfare. From peacekeepers to targets The transformation of satellites from instruments of peace to military targets represents a stunning reversal. “From the very beginning, militaries have used space for military purposes,” Professor Stephens explains, but adds a crucial distinction: “Military purp…

The Expert’s Edge: Current Criminal Law insights from our leading editors
type: item
creator: Thomson Reuters
date: 2025-10-07T01:00:00Z
subject: Legal Commentary and Opinion
subject: Legal Industry
subject: Legal Research
subject: Legal Trends
subject: Legislation and Case Law
subject: Research and Commentary
subject: Research and Know-How
subject: Trends and the Future of Law
subject: criminal law
subject: legal commentary
subject: legal industry
subject: Legal Intelligence
description: As the legal landscape evolves at unprecedented speed, staying ahead has never been more vital for lawyers and their clients. In our latest installment of the Expert’s Edge, we speak… The post The Expert’s Edge: Current Criminal Law insights from our leading editors appeared first on TR - Legal Insight New Zealand.
encoded: As the legal landscape evolves at unprecedented speed, staying ahead has never been more vital for lawyers and their clients. In our latest installment of the Expert’s Edge, we speak with senior portfolio editor Rebecca Atkins BA (Hons) LLB about what it takes to keep Westlaw’s content current with developments in New Zealand criminal law. Could you give us an overview of what your role as legal editor at Thomson Reuters entails? I oversee and manage the commentary and legislation content for Adams on Criminal Law. The majority of my role involves procuring and editing manuscript from a large and diverse team of authors across New Zealand. My day usually starts with horizon-scanning for legislative developments occurring in the criminal law space, paying close attention to Bills nearing assent and any fast-moving/under urgency Bills and discussing their progress and implications with the relevant authors. The rest of my day is mostly spent coordinating incoming manuscripts (sometimes thousands of tracked Word pages at a time) and editing for clarity, accuracy and usability on Westlaw. This involves verifying every single case citation and legislation reference, checking quotations and pinpoint paragraph locations, and ensuring the style and structure of cross-references to other commentary, cases and legislation will support robust linking to primary materials on Westlaw. After editorial review, the manuscript is converted into XML (a complex mark-up language) and I complete a quality check to confirm every tag, link and piece of new or amended content is correct. Once approved, the update publishes across hardcopy, Westlaw and ProView — followed by another round of checks in each medium. All of this is driven by strict update cycles. I work closely with the authors to align manuscript submission to deadlines and am constantly reassessing priorities as legislative and case law developments evolve. At any given time, I’m shepherding three or four Adams updates throug…

The Expert’s Edge: New Zealand’s Aviation and Space Law insights from our leading editors
type: item
creator: Thomson Reuters
date: 2025-09-30T01:00:00Z
subject: Knowledge Solution
subject: Legal Commentary and Opinion
subject: Legal Research
subject: Legal Trends
subject: Legislation and Case Law
subject: Research and Commentary
subject: Research and Know-How
subject: Trends and the Future of Law
subject: aviation law
subject: legal commentary
subject: legal industry
subject: Legal Intelligence
subject: space law
description: As the legal landscape continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, staying ahead of the curve has never been more critical for lawyers and their clients. In our ongoing commitment… The post The Expert’s Edge: New Zealand’s Aviation and Space Law insights from our leading editors appeared first on TR - Legal Insight New Zealand.
encoded: As the legal landscape continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, staying ahead of the curve has never been more critical for lawyers and their clients. In our ongoing commitment to providing unparalleled legal intelligence, this latest installment of our Expert’s Edge series we sit down with Roger Thornton BA LLB to find out how NZ Aviation and Space law is expanding and evolving. Could you give us an overview of you, your role as a legal editor at Thomson Reuters? My first job at Thomson Reuters (then Brookers) was writing up cases for a case law digest. From there I progressed to editing looseleaf publications. We’ve come long way since then, producing online and ebook products (Westlaw New Zealand and ProView) and now integrating advances in AI into Westlaw to enhance our offerings. At the core of those offerings is the high-quality content written by our author teams. For Aviation and Space Law my role as a portfolio editor entails keeping up with developments whether it be cases or statutory or regulatory change and liaising with the authors so that we can keep the commentary in the publication as up to date as possible. It’s pretty satisfying to be able to incorporate improved and up to date content for our customers. We recently did this with the Civil Aviation Act 2023 by publishing significant amounts of commentary and legislation online in time for the in-force date of 5 April 2025. What interests you in Aviation and Space Law? As the editor of Aviation and Space Law I’ve found it interesting to see and incorporate (with the critical input of the authors) the changes effected in the civil aviation regime by the Civil Aviation Act 2023. Also, in early 2022, we introduced a space law chapter based on the Outer Space and High-altitude Activities Act 2017 and associated regulations. This area of law is becoming increasingly relevant due to the activities of the likes of Rocket Lab, the advent of the New Zealand Space Agency in 2016 and the appointment of a…

The Expert’s Edge: Current Employment Law insights from our leading editors
type: item
creator: Thomson Reuters
date: 2025-09-23T00:10:55Z
subject: Legal Commentary and Opinion
subject: Legal Research
subject: Legislation and Case Law
subject: Research and Commentary
subject: Research and Know-How
subject: Trends and the Future of Law
subject: Uncategorised
subject: legal commentary
subject: legal industry
subject: Legal Intelligence
description: As the legal landscape continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, staying ahead of the curve has never been more critical for lawyers and their clients. Further to our ongoing… The post The Expert’s Edge: Current Employment Law insights from our leading editors appeared first on TR - Legal Insight New Zealand.
encoded: As the legal landscape continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, staying ahead of the curve has never been more critical for lawyers and their clients. Further to our ongoing commitment to providing unparalleled legal intelligence, in this latest installment of our Editor’s Edge series we sit down with Kevin Leary MA, senior legal editor, to discuss his primary area of responsibility, Employment Law. What does your role as a legal editor at Thomson Reuters entail? As a Senior Legal Editor in the New Zealand Analytical Law team, I’ve been editing books (bound, looseleaf and online), articles and/or precedents for more than 20 years. A particular highlight has been two editorial stints (2009–2013 and 2023 onwards) with Employment Law (online, ebook, looseleaf), which will be celebrating its 35th anniversary next year (including its first 10 years under the name Brookers Employment Contracts). What does editorial work with Employment Law entail? Trying the patience of the author team (Phil Bartlett, Kylie Dunn, Chief Judge Inglis, AJ Lodge, Scott Worthy) with an endless stream of emails about the next manuscript-due dates, and this legislative development here, and that far-flung corner of commentary there … . Trying to keep up with the authors when they deliver! (Editing manuscript for New Zealand Law Style Guide compliance, converting it from Word to XML, requesting then checking the updated output in online/ebook/looseleaf formats, updating the What’s New page (online/ebook) and Bulletin (looseleaf).) Flagging updates of Employment Law in Alert 24 on Westlaw New Zealand. Looking for ways to improve Employment Law — for example, introducing a new section called Pending and Proposed Employment Legislation Changes in 2023, and a new online/ebook chapter called Judicial Papers and Speeches in 2025. What does Employment Law on Westlaw New Zealand cover? The Employment Relations Act 2000 and regulations (of course), with extensive annotated commentary. Legislation and…

The Expert’s Edge: Current Civil Litigation insights from our leading editors
type: item
creator: Thomson Reuters
date: 2025-09-15T23:33:25Z
subject: Legal Commentary and Opinion
subject: Legal Industry
subject: Legal Research
subject: Legislation and Case Law
subject: Research and Commentary
subject: Research and Know-How
subject: Uncategorised
subject: Civil Litigation
subject: Civil Procedure
subject: Legal Intelligence
subject: McGechan on Procedure
description: As the legal landscape continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, staying ahead of the curve has never been more critical for lawyers and their clients. In our ongoing commitment… The post The Expert’s Edge: Current Civil Litigation insights from our leading editors appeared first on TR - Legal Insight New Zealand.
encoded: As the legal landscape continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, staying ahead of the curve has never been more critical for lawyers and their clients. In our ongoing commitment to providing unparalleled legal intelligence, this latest installment of our Expert’s Edge series we sit down with Jason Bull BA LLB senior legal editor, to understand how he keeps our keystone title, McGechan on Procedure, and other titles up to date in a constantly changing environment. What does your role as legal editor at Thomson Reuters entail? I’ve worked with Thomson Reuters for over 20 years across many different editorial roles, but currently I edit products in the Civil Litigation Practice area. A typical day for me involves ensuring that our busy authors have the time and resource they need to respond to any legislative and case law changes so we can hit our update deadlines. Once one of our authors has handed in the manuscript, I work to ensure that it’s edited and checked before moving the manuscript to the next step – releasing on Westlaw NZ and through print media. I think one of the biggest improvements in legal publishing at Thomson Reuters in the past 10 years has been our ability to add new and updated content to Westlaw with speed. Can you tell us about the Civil Litigation practice area? My focus is on the Civil Litigation practice area – one of the cornerstones of our Westlaw NZ offering. This area includes the flagship McGechan on Procedure, New Zealand’s leading and most-cited text on civil procedure. I also manage its younger sibling Civil Procedure: District Court & Tribunals. The rules of civil litigation are always being monitored and improved upon – so there is always change and development in the law. It may sound dry – but trust me, there is never a dull moment! What are some of the key developments or challenges shaping Civil Litigation now, and in the future? Currently there are two major change projects being led by the Ministry of Justice in conjunctio…

The ROI of Legal Tech & AI Report 2025
type: item
creator: Thomson Reuters
date: 2025-09-09T09:29:04Z
subject: Asia Pacific
subject: Business Management
subject: Generative AI
subject: Governance, Risk & Compliance
subject: Innovation and Technology
subject: Leadership & Strategy
subject: Legal Industry
subject: Legal Marketplace
subject: Research and Know-How
description: Measure What Really Matters In today’s legal sector, technology is no longer an experiment – it’s the cornerstone of strategic growth. As clients become more exacting, regulation and legislation changes… The post The ROI of Legal Tech & AI Report 2025 appeared first on TR - Legal Insight New Zealand.
encoded: Measure What Really Matters In today’s legal sector, technology is no longer an experiment – it’s the cornerstone of strategic growth. As clients become more exacting, regulation and legislation changes intensify, and competition plays out on a global stage, legal professionals must make a choice – adapt and thrive or risk being left behind. Our latest report, The ROI of Legal Tech & AI, delivers the insights you need to navigate these shifts with confidence, and the numbers to demonstrate that legal-related tech is an investment in future success. Drawing on responses from 1000 legal professionals across Australia, Asia, New Zealand, and the Middle East, this report offers the data so you can make more confident decisions. Adapt or Be Left Behind Legal-related technology has become fundamental for sustained relevance and competitive advantage in a market that’s never been noisier or moving faster. Law firms are prioritising digital transformation, cyber security resilience, and transforming client service delivery models to keep pace with shifting expectations. In-house legal teams are searching for ways to increase service quality, protect their data and drive innovation. Both are battling to attract and retain the best talent, while facing competition not just from local players, but around the world. Legal-related technology is no longer a ‘nice to have’ it’s essential armour in an environment where a single compliance miss or data breach can have existential consequences, while the competition keeps knocking on the door. What’s Driving Real Returns? Beyond just efficiency, the report reveals what metrics matter the most when measuring ROI on legal-related technology spends. Risk Reduction: 46% of law firm respondents and 49% of in-house teams say data protection and reduced breach incidents are crucial. Service Quality: 58% of law firms and 51% of in-house teams cite improved customer experience as top ROI metrics to measure. Innovation, not headcount reduction…

New Zealand’s Online Casino Gambling Bill Introduced, and New Online Race and Sports Betting Ban in Place
type: item
creator: Thomson Reuters
date: 2025-08-06T22:33:37Z
subject: Legal Commentary and Opinion
subject: Legislation and Case Law
subject: Research and Commentary
subject: Uncategorised
subject: academic
subject: barrister
subject: gambling
subject: gambling law
subject: gambling legislation
subject: Jarrod True
subject: legal books
subject: legal commentary
subject: Legal Research
description: New Zealanders spend approximately $700m annually on online casino gambling. This is currently with offshore based providers who are outside the reach of New Zealand’s regulator. The current position is… The post New Zealand’s Online Casino Gambling Bill Introduced, and New Online Race and Sports Betting Ban in Place appeared first on TR - Legal Insight New Zealand.
encoded: New Zealanders spend approximately $700m annually on online casino gambling. This is currently with offshore based providers who are outside the reach of New Zealand’s regulator. The current position is unsatisfactory as it is common for players not to be paid when they win large prizes, there are no formal harm minimisation controls, and limited tax revenue is received. The Government has taken steps to change this, by regulating and licensing online gambling. Jarrod True is the Author of Gambling Law, a comprehensive resource published by Thomson Reuters on the various forms of gambling in New Zealand. Thomson Reuters New Zealand caught up with Jarrod to get an update on New Zealand’s online gambling reform. What will the online casino licensing system look like and what is the expected timing? Legislation for a licensing system for online casinos (the Online Casino Gambling Bill) was introduced to the New Zealand Parliament on 30 June 2025. Targeted consultation is currently underway on the advertising, harm minimisation, and consumer protection regulations. Licences will be allocated through a three-stage process: expressions of interest; an auction by persons invited by the Regulator; and a full licence application by the successful bidders. The new online casino licences are expected to be issued between August and December 2026. There will be 15 licences available, allocated by auction. One licence will be required per platform/brand/website. The licence limit will apply to platforms, rather than operators. An operator can hold no more than three of the 15 total licences. The licences will be for a three-year period with one right of renewal of up to five years. Operators will only be able to offer online casino games. This will include slot machines, table games, such as blackjack, poker, or baccarat, and virtual sports and racing betting (betting on a computer-simulated event). What tools will the New Zealand Regulator have to enforce the new online casino …

6 lessons on AI adoption for New Zealand lawyers
type: item
creator: Catherine Roberts
date: 2025-08-04T02:18:09Z
subject: Business Efficiency
subject: Business Transformation
subject: Efficiency and Time Management
subject: Generative AI
subject: Innovation
subject: Legal Industry
subject: Artificial intelligence
subject: business transformation
subject: Efficiency
subject: General Counsel
subject: generative AI
subject: in-house legal departments
subject: Innovation & Technology
subject: legal innovation
subject: Legal Technology
description: Since launching in Australia and New Zealand in early 2024, a growing number of law firms and in-house legal teams have adopted CoCounsel. What’s become clear is that the success of… The post 6 lessons on AI adoption for New Zealand lawyers appeared first on TR - Legal Insight New Zealand.
encoded: Since launching in Australia and New Zealand in early 2024, a growing number of law firms and in-house legal teams have adopted CoCounsel. What’s become clear is that the success of AI adoption is not just a question of technology—it’s a matter of strategy, change management and trust. According to the Future of Professionals Report 2025, organisations with a visible AI strategy are 3.5 times more likely to realise benefits from AI than those taking an informal approach. Off the back of the most successful implementations of CoCounsel in Australia and New Zealand, here are the top 6 lessons learned. Read on for insights to help you move beyond experimentation and into lasting transformation. 1. Target ‘use cases’ over initial firm-wide rollouts Broad-based technology launches can overwhelm large legal teams. The strongest results have come from teams that start small. They focus on high impact, high friction ‘use cases’ where AI can clearly save time or reduce risk. By demonstrating quick wins, these early use cases help convert sceptics into champions and build momentum organically. For example, legal teams using CoCounsel are successfully accelerating contract review workflows and drafting chronologies in litigation. These wins pave the way for wider AI adoption. Takeaway: Start where the pain is visible and value is measurable. 2. Social proof drives momentum Once success is achieved, it is time to share it! Social proof, via both internal and external communication channels, is critical in building confidence and broadening adoption. Law firms are using internal communications, AI expo days and team meetings to showcase specific AI success stories. Others are co-authoring case studies or client-facing thought leadership content to demonstrate their innovation credentials in the legal community. Takeaway: Make AI wins visible. Internal comms and success stories matter. 3. Change management is the hard part Technology is straight forward, but people are diverse an…