Welcome to the Family Law Section of the New Zealand Law Society.

The Family Law Section represents the interests of approximately 1000 New Zealand family law practitioners. It has primary responsibility on behalf of the Society in all areas of family law and has a strong and active voice in relation to such issues as Family Courts management, the independence of the Family Court, Lawyer for Child rates, legal aid rates, and education.

Family Court Review

Family court bill tackles concerns Wanganui Chronicle 3 May 2013
Changes to Family Court reform welcomed, but more urged - Fuseworks Media - 30 April 2013
Refuges in dark over law repeal proposal - The New Zealand Herald - 30 April 2013
Family Court reforms 'pleasing' - Newstalk ZB - 30 April 2013
Law Society encouraged by positive amendments to Family Court bill - Media Release - 29 April 2013
Family Court changes support priorities for reform - Minister Judith Collins - 26 April 2013
What price justice? - The Age in Victoria, Australia, 21 April 2013
Cuts will strip most vulnerable of help in court, judges say - The Age in Victoria, Australia - 21 April 2013
Dad loses court bid to cut child-support payout - Dominion Post - 20 April 2013
When love breaks down - The New Zealand Herald - 20 April 2013
The Facts about Family Court Reform, Minister Judith Collins - ADLS Inc - 12 April 2013
Principal Family Court Judge Laurence Ryan - Radio New Zealand - 10 April 2013
Fresh look needed at Family Court changes - lawyer - Radio New Zealand - 31 March 2013
Govt to water down changes to Family Court - Radio New Zealand - 31 March 2013
Court changes cast doubt on Collins’ judgement - Scoop Independent News - 30 March 2013
Child inquiry reforms endanger women - The New Zealand Herald - 30 March 2013
Govt backdown follows attack by family judges - The New Zealand Herald - 30 March 2013
Expert's fear: How many kids will die? - The New Zealand Herald - 24 March 2013
Tragedy in a picture-perfect Kiwi family - The New Zealand Herald - 23 March 2013
David Clendon questions the Minister of Justice on family court changes - Green Party of Aotearoa NZ - 22 March 2013
Family Court Proceedings Reform Bill and Family Court multi-reform update - NZ Lawyer - 22 March 2013
Family lawyers lobby over family court changes - March 2013 - Envoy
Family Court changes raise concern - Stuff - 15 March 2013
Whither the Family Court, Brian Keene QC - Law News, ADLS Inc - 15 March 2013
Collins 'must stop Family Court reforms that put children at risk' - 14 March 2013
The Impact on New Zealand Families' Access to Justice - NZ Centre for Human Rights and Legal Research Foundation - 11 March, Auckland
'Silenced' claim by men's rights lobby - Stuff - 10 March 2013
Address to the Australasian Institute of Judical Administration - "The pursuit of execellence and innovation in courts and tribunals" - Judith Collins - 8 March 2013
Changes to Family Court Bill dangers, MPs told, Radio New Zealand, 6 March 2013
Family court changes will hurt kids - judge - 3 News - 1 March 2013
Judges oppose family court changes - TVNZ - 1 March 2013
Removing counselling from Family Court labelled 'disastrous' - 28 February 2013 - Newstalk ZB
Planned Family Court changes could increase domestic violence - 28 February 2013 - Checkpoint, Radio NZ
Government’s proposed changes to the Family Court puts children at risk  21 February 2013
Promise, pitfalls in Family Court overhaul - Otago Daily Times - 15 February 2013
Judith Collins: Children's needs must be first priority of Family Court - NZ Herald - 14 February 2013
Government’s proposed changes to Family Court will make it less accessible - Media Release 14 February 2013
Family Court Proceedings Reform Bill 13 February 2013 - 14 February 2013
Family Court Proceedings Reform Bill (Appendices), 13 February 2013 - 14 February 2013
Alison Cleland: Children deserve a voice in court - The NZ Herald - 11 February 2013
FDR: Just five sections of a renamed Act - NZ Lawyer - 8 February 2013
Impact of changes to the Family Court - John Caldwell, Radio NZ, Nine to Noon - 4 February 2013
NewstalkZB interviews Garry Collin, NewstalkZB Transcript, 4 February 2013
Plans for Family Court attacked - Christchurch Press - 4 February 2013
Changes to Family Court under fire - Dominion Post - 4 February 2013
Deborah Hart: Long way to go before Family Court revamp succeeds - NZ Herald - 24 January 2013
The goverment's self-help approach to family justice is misguided - Solicitors Journal - 22 January 2012
Shutting lawyers out 'illogical' - Asburton Guardian - 19 January 2013
Lawyers to be excluded from Family Court - Radio NZ - 17 January 2013
Additional £10 million to fund mediation and help separting couples avoid court battles - Justice UK - 3 January 2012
Reforms or a giant leap backwards? - republished with permission of Tui Moto - December 2012
The Role of the State in Family Law - New Zealand Family Law Journal - December 2012
Major overhaul of Family Court removes lawyers from most cases - Envoy - December 2012
Child safety risks feared in law reform - Sunday Star Times - 16 December 2012
Lawyers rally against Family Court changes - Radio NZ, Morning Report - 14 December 2012
'Economic abuse' to be put on par with domestic violence - The New Zealand Herald - 4 December 2012
Family Court reform set to begin - Judith Collins - 27 November 2012
Alarm bells sound over Family Court reform process - Charles Chauvel - 27 November 2012
Feature Guest - Judge Boshier - Radio NZ, Nine to Noon - 6 November 2012
Family Court Review - Part 4 - Review released - NZ Lawyer - 2 November 2012
Court in the middle - Next - November 2012
Families first - Sunday Start Times - 28 October 2012
Justice Minister determined to press on, Transcript - Radio NZ Morning Report - 25 October 2012
Children could be 'silenced' in Family Court shake-up - ONE News - 21 October 2012
Family Court problems, Transcript - TV1 News, 21 October 2012
Expert Group not consulted on Family Court proposals - LawNews - 19 October 2012
Minister rejects Expert Reference Group's statement - LawNews - 19 October 2012
Response from Judith Collins - 12 October 2012
Response from Advisory Group to the Minister of Justice – 10 October 2012
A less intrusive path for family disputes Sunday Star Times - 7 October 2012
Reform plans worry Family Court lawyers - Wairarapa Times-Age - 6 October 2012
Gender bias in the Family Court addressed by judge - LawNews - 5 October 2012
Court relegates fathers to second class parent - LawNews - 5 October 2012
Reforms mad, says lawyer - Kapimana News - 2 October 2012
New Family Court Changes Put Families At Risk - Scoop News - 2 October 2012
Lawyers air fears over Family Court - Hawke's Bay Today - 1 October 2012
Children tipped to lose out in Family Court changes - Wel-com - October 2012
Proposed changes not enough says family court judge - Wel-com - October 2012
The view from the bench - Sunday Star Times - 29 September 2012 
Vulnerable 'may have to represent themselves' - Marlborough Express - 27 September 2012 
Courting danger: child's view vital - Otago Daily Times 27 September 2012
Concerns that Family Court failing women and children - LawNews - 21 September 2012
Battles between parents will continue to rage - The Dominion Post - 19 September 2012
Lawyers help put warring families back on track - Dominion Post - 11 September 2012
Response from Judith Collins - 11 September 2012
Family Court child protection expertise acknowledged - 06 Sep 2012
Lawyer: Family Court proposals good and bad - Whakatane Beacon - 4 September 2012
The Winds of Change in New Zealand Family Law - Australian Family Lawyer - Vol 22 No. 3 - Winter 2012
The Family Court Reforms - A Barrister's Perspective - Lawfuel - 15 August 2012
Lawyers' role reduced in Family Court shake-up - NZLawyer - 10 August 2012
Family Court reform plans place emphasis on children - LawNews - 10 August 2012
Letter to Judith Collins from NZLS - 10 August 2012
Short-term, short-sighted review just a cost-saver - Dominion Post - 9 August 2012
Safe families, not cost, should drive Family Court reforms - Scoop News - 7 August 2012
New $897 family strife fee 'too high' - Dominion Post - 3 August 2012
Family Court reforms put children first - Judith Collins - 2 August 2012
Family Court Review Cabinet paper - 2 August 2012
Q+A Proposals to reform the Family Court - 2 August 2012
Law Society considers Family Court Review report - 02 Aug 2012
Regulatory Impact Statement: Family Court Review - August 2012
Letter to MOJ – filing fees - 23 July 2012
Letter to MOJ – filing fees - 20 July 2012
Refuge chief slams Family Court fees - Stuff - 13 June 2012
Family Court fee a disincentive that mocks consultation - Scoop News - 12 June 2012
Letter to MOJ – filing fees - 1 June 2012
Court review tough on vulnerable families - Wel-com - Archdiocesan News - April 2012
Reference Group's report to Ministry of Justice - April 2012
Law Society's submission, Review of the Family Court - 6 March 2012
Family Court Review: public consultation paper - 20 September 2011

Auckland Services Delivery Programme

FLS Representatives resign from ADSP Governance Board - 14 March 2013
Papers reveal costly chaos of Family Courts - Stuff - 2 December 2012
Apology for courts rollout problems - Stuff - 29 November 2012
Response to questions in house - 17 September 2012
Details to 'provide balance' - Sunday Star Times - 16 September 2012
'If I die, it gets rid of the problem' - Sunday Star Times - 2 September 2012
Parliamentary Questions in House - 31 August 2012
Family Court processing and Auckland Transcript - Nine to Noon Radio NZ, 27 Aug 2012
Auckland Family Court processing delays - Nine to Noon Radio NZ, 27 August 2012
Family Court 'seeing the wheels falling off' - 26 August 2012
Courts in chaos - Sunday Star Times - 26 August 2012
Auckland Family Court Vex Lawyers - 23 August 2012
Urgent review of Family Court changes begins - Radio NZ, 22 August 2012
Morning Report interview – 20 August 2012
Morning Report interview transcript – 20 August 2012
Law Society broadside at Family Court chaos – Sunday Star Times – 19 August 2012
Lawyers flee family law practices – 17 August 2012
Response from Ministry of Justice – 2 July 2012
Letter to Ministry of Justice – 2 July 2012
Letter to Ministry of Justice – 23 May 2012
Court Out - 20 May 2012
Law Society’s submission on the discussion document - 25 May 2011
Ministry of Justice Discussion Document – “Proposed New Operating Model for District Courts in Auckland” – November 2011

NZLS Panel of Mediators

The service is currently available to members of the NZLS and its Family Law Section and has been developed to ensure that the quality of mediation undertaken by family lawyers is of the highest standard.

By joining the NZLS Panel of Mediators as a Family Specialist, you will be able to demonstrate that you have achieved a certain level of training and experience in family mediation, and that you are committed to maintaining a high standard of mediation in your practice.

The NZLS Panel of Mediators section on my.lawsociety.org.nz provides details on membership, accreditation and training, along with relevant resources, guidelines and precedents.