Avoiding the Pitfalls When Dismissing or Disciplining Staff
May 2008 Ensuring a dismissal or disciplinary action against one of your employees can withstand the scrutiny of a challenge has become increasingly more difficult in recent years. Has your organisation kept up with the changes to the law and the recent cases? Set our below is a summary of the key points you need to know to help you stay on the right side of the law. > Read More> View PDF
Public Health Bill & Food
May 2008 The Public Health Bill is a major legislative reform which reviews and updates the Health Act 1956. The public submissions period closed on 7 March. > Read More> View PDF
x-tech ezine May 2008
May 2008 Welcome to the May edition of Simpson Grierson's x-tech ezine.
We have 4 articles for this issue.
In our first article, Don Holborow and Adam Jackson look at a possible situation where the other party to one of your contracts is doing something to your advantage because they believe you will refrain from exercising your strict legal rights if they do. Only you haven't actually promised not to exercise those rights, and have every intention of eventually doing so. Do you need to enlighten the counterparty and risk them stopping work, or can you simply sit back and take advantage, knowing the only cost will be a sense of guilt?
The recent conclusion of New Zealand's free trade negotiations with China has been a major business news headline in recent weeks. Earl Gray and Emma Shearing look at the intellectual property measures adopted under this agreement and the likely consequences for rights holders in the aftermath in their article 'Free Trade with China - Big News for Business, a Soft Nudge for Intellectual Property Rights'.
In 'Potential Provider Liability for Online Discrimination' Karen Ngan and Ben Lenihan look at a recent decision of a full panel of the United States Court of Appeals ruling on responsibility and liability of service providers operating on the internet for discriminatory content posted by users of their services.
Finally, New Zealand's copyright law has been brought into the twenty first century with the passing of the Copyright (New Technologies) Amendment Act on 8 April 2008. In our fourth article, Richard Watts and Sonya Hill look at the timely changes and potential limitations under the new Act and comment on their significance. > Read More
The Proposed New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement
May 2008 Submissions on the proposed New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement (NZCPS) close on Wednesday 7 May 2008. As you will be aware, a Board of Inquiry has been established to consider submissions, hear from submitters and prepare a report and recommendations on the proposed NZCPS to the Minister for Conservation. The Minister will then consider the Board's report and may or may not make any changes to the proposed NZCPS. > Read More> View PDF
Free Trade With China: Big News For Business, A Soft Nudge For Intellectual Property Rights
May 2008 On 7 April 2008, New Zealand became the first developed country in the world to enter into a free trade agreement (FTA) with China, heralding the beginning of a new age for trade relations between the two nations. The removal of barriers to trade under the FTA will enable New Zealand investors and exporters to capitalise on opportunities with China, New Zealand's third largest individual trading partner and the world's fastest growing economy. > Read More> View PDF
The Copyright (New Technologies) Amendment Act: Dragging Copyright Into The 21st Century
May 2008 Following our article in the March edition of xtech ("The Copyright (New Technologies) Amendment Bill: Delayed by Individual and Big Business Interests?"), we can report that New Zealand's copyright law has finally been brought into the twenty first century with the passing of the Copyright (New Technologies) Amendment Act (Act). > Read More> View PDF
The Copyright (New Technologies) Amendment Act: Dragging Copyright Into The 21st Century
May 2008 Following our article in the March edition of x-tech ("The Copyright (New Technologies) Amendment Bill: Delayed by Individual and Big Business Interests?"), we can report that New Zealand's copyright law has finally been brought into the twenty first century with the passing of the Copyright (New Technologies) Amendment Act (Act). > Read More> View PDF
Potential Provider Liability for Online Discrimination
May 2008 The responsibility and liability of service providers operating on the internet for discriminatory content posted by users of their services was the subject of a recent decision of a full panel of the 9th Circuit of the United States Court of Appeal. > Read More> View PDF
Never Interrupt Your Enemy When He Is Making A Mistake
May 2008 "Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake." This famous quote from Napoleon Bonaparte certainly sounds like good advice, but this article considers one situation in which your lawyer will often advise the opposite. > Read More> View PDF
