The Royal Commission’s hearings into the collapse of individual buildings which caused loss of life (other than the CTV and PGC Buildings) have been completed. Videos of the hearings can be found at:
http://canterbury.royalcommission.govt.nz/Hearings-Livestreaming-and-video-archives
The Royal Commission’s hearing into the collapse of the PGC Building began on 28 November 2011. The hearing can be viewed live online and videos are posted online each day. These can be found at:
http://canterbury.royalcommission.govt.nz/Hearings-Livestreaming-and-video-archives
Without Prejudice is available as an ebook at Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/79117 and at Barnes & Noble: www.barnesandnoble.com
Every Queen’s Counsel who is elevated to the rank has no doubt the appointment is justified and questions only why it did not take place much sooner…
I have been appointed counsel to assist the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission. (more…)
Beyond the Law: The CIA Torture Memos is available as an ebook at Barnes & Noble: www.barnesandnoble.com and at Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/67911.
In April 2009, President Obama’s administration declassified four memoranda from the Office of Legal Counsel to the Central Intelligence Agency relating to the “interrogation of high-value Al Qaeda detainees.” The lawyers who wrote the memoranda expressed the opinion that these methods did not violate the United States statute which purported to implement the United Nations Convention Against Torture in relation to conduct outside the United States. The descriptions of the interrogation techniques in the memoranda are detailed and striking. What were the techniques and what was their purpose? How did the lawyers reach their conclusions that the techniques did not amount to torture? What do they tell us about US adherence to the rule of law?
The terms of reference for the Royal Commission into building failure caused by the Canterbury earthquakes can be found on the Commission’s website:
http://canterbury.royalcommission.govt.nz/About-the-Royal-Commission.
In his speech to the American people announcing the death of Osama bin Laden, President Obama said, ‘Justice has been done.’
The President’s carefully worded speech seemed designed to revive the emotions resulting from the reprehensible acts of terrorism on 11 September 2001. Such emotions make it easy to accept the President’s assertion about justice. But, if justice means adherence to the rule of law and observing legal process, bin Laden’s death only serves to illustrate its absence. (more…)
Canterbury Chambers has relocated to level 1, 62 Riccarton Road .
Nicholas Davidson QC, Pru Steven, Dale Lester, Richard Raymond, Jessica Mills and Marcus Elliott are all available to take instructions and can be contacted by email and phone (more…)
I am a LEADR accredited panel member and am available to act as a mediator.
The trial of 22 Nazi defendants began in Nuremberg on 20 November 1945. The prosecution and defence advocates were drawn from some of the best lawyers in Great Britain, the United States, France, Russia and Germany. There is much to learn from the way these advocates represented their clients. (more…)