The New Zealand Law Society was established by statute in 1869. The current legislation is the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006 (LCA), which came into force on 1 August 2008. The Act continues the Law Society and sets out its regulatory and representative functions and powers. The Law Society regulates all lawyers, but membership of the Law Society is voluntary.
Previous legislation provided for 14 district law societies with their own statutory powers, operating in a federal structure with the New Zealand Law Society. The statutory role of districts ceased on 31 January 2009 and, with the exception of Auckland, their assets and liabilities were transferred to the Law Society.
From 1 February 2009, branches of the Law Society were established in all former districts, including Auckland. Many of the Law Society’s new regulatory functions are being delivered from the Society’s branches.
The Law Society’s Constitution sets out the membership, election processes and meeting procedures for the Law Society’s governing bodies. The Law Society is governed by a Council and managed by a Board.
The Council comprises the President (and President-Elect where applicable), the four Vice-Presidents, one member from each branch of the Law Society, the chair or president of each of the Law Society’s sections, the chair or president of the New Zealand Bar Association, and a representative of the large law firm corporation. The Council meets at least once a year.
The Board acts as the executive body, managing the affairs of the Law Society and exercising most of the functions and powers of the Council under delegation. The Board comprises the President (and President-Elect where applicable) and the four Vice-Presidents. It appoints members to the Law Society’s law reform committees.
The Law Society is supported by its executive, under the leadership of the Executive Director.
