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 Space Minister.
What are some of the key developments currently shaping Aviation and Space Law?
In the Aviation and Space Law sphere the Civil Aviation Act 2023 came into force on 5 April 2025. While in the text one of our authors has accurately described the Act as “evolutionary” rather than “revolutionary” there are nonetheless some new features to keep an eye on, for example, a “just culture” approach to accident and incident reporting, drug and alcohol management, independent review of regulatory decisions and the new concept of “transport instruments”. In the space law sphere, we’ve recently seen a 2025 amendment Act passed under urgency dealing with “ground-based space infrastructure” and aimed at protecting our national security. We’re very well placed with our author team to watch the developments and provide commentary.
How does Westlaw consistently provide the most current, comprehensive, and accurate legal information in Aviation and Space Law?
We are always keen to improve our publications and so we welcome any feedback or suggestions on Aviation and Space Law our customers may have.
Expert author team
Duncan Ferrier, Barrister, Capital Chambers
John Parnell, Deputy Chief Legal Counsel, Civil Aviation Authority
Kim Murray, Barrister and Consultant
Thank you to Roger Thornton, senior editor and his team of expert authors in aviation and space. As a legal professional, if you are in need of the most up-to-date and trusted aviation and space legal content in New Zealand, look no further than the Transport Practice Area on Westlaw New Zealand.
Other articles in The Expert’s Edge series: Current Civil Litigation insights and Current Employment insights
