In this episode we are joined by Joseph Catanzariti AM — former Vice President of the Fair Work Commission, long‑time workplace relations leader, mediator and current Chair of the College of Law — for a wide‑ranging conversation about law, work and social change in Australia and New Zealand.

We start with Joseph’s personal story from his immigrant family background and upbringing in Bondi Junction, through his pathway into law and his long career at the intersection of industrial relations and employment law, including his time as a senior partner at Clayton Utz and eleven years at the Fair Work Commission.

The discussion covers practical dispute‑resolution themes (mediation versus adjudication), the value of early triage, and the benefits of an inquisitorial approach in workplace disputes. Joseph explains why employment law matters, how anti‑bullying and discrimination jurisdictions work, and why timely, empathetic processes and remedies are essential to restore working relationships.

We also explore professional culture: the role of mentoring and championing young lawyers, how firms should value education and pastoral leadership, and the ongoing challenge of bullying and bystander behaviour within the legal profession and other workplaces.

The topic of legal education and reform is covered including the College of Law’s priorities, ESG and the oft‑neglected social element of governance — and the practical and ethical implications of AI for legal practice, assessment and training.

This episode contains some candid examples, practical tips for advocates and mediators, reflections on fairness and social justice, and key takeaways for lawyers, managers and anyone interested in how law shapes modern workplaces Down Under.

In this episode of the Law Down Under Podcast, I am joined by Jessica Palairet, Executive Director of Lawyers for Climate Action NZ (LCANZI), and featured author in the upcoming book on climate solutions by Kiwis in Climate. Since its founding in 2019, LCANZI has rapidly grown to nearly 400 members and has become a leading force in using the law to drive effective climate action. Under Jessica’s leadership, LCANZI has brought significant legal challenges—including headline cases against the New Zealand Government's emission targets and reduction plans—aimed at holding both the government and private sector accountable under the Climate Change Response Act.

Jessica’s extensive legal background spans international climate change litigation, human rights law, and advocacy for legal education, aligning with sustainability goals. In this episode, Jessica shares her unique insights into the critical and evolving role of lawyers in climate solutions, the impact of climate litigation in New Zealand and globally, and her perspectives from the forthcoming book on actionable climate solutions for Aotearoa.

On today’s episode of the Law Down Under Podcast, we are joined by Susan Barker.

Sue Barker is the director of Sue Barker Charities Law, an award-winning boutique law firm in Wellington specialising in charities law and public tax law, which she founded in 2012. Sue is internationally recognised as a Charity Law scholar and is a director of the Charity Law Association of Australia and New Zealand.

Sue is the author of the recently published (May 2025) Taxation of Charities in Aotearoa New Zealand and one of the co-authors, The Law and Practice of Charities in Aotearoa New Zealand, now in its second edition and published in 2024. In 2019, she was awarded the New Zealand Law Foundation International Research Fellowship Te Karahipi Rangahau ā Taiao, New Zealand’s premier legal research award, for her project “What does a world-leading framework of charities law look like?” Her landmark report, Focus on purpose, released in April 2022, made 70 recommendations for charities law reform in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Sue’s expertise is regularly sought by the media and charities of all shapes, sizes and missions. She is a member of Charities Services’ Sector Group and the Core Reference Group for the Government’s review of the Charities Act 2005. She has played a leading role in advocating for an independent, first-principles review of the Charities Act, and her work is widely cited in sector reform discussions.

We spoke with Sue about her career and discussed all things about charity law, including its future in New Zealand.

On today’s episode of the Law Down Under Podcast, we are joined by Dr Katy Barnett. Dr Katy Barnett is a Professor of Law at Melbourne Law School and is widely recognised as a leading authority in several areas, including the law of remedies. She joined Melbourne Law School in 2006 and was appointed permanently in 2010, following earlier roles as a research assistant at the Victorian Court of Appeal and as an associate to Justice Mandie at the Supreme Court of Victoria. Katy’s PhD focused on accounts of profit for breach of contract and has been cited by the Supreme Court of Canada.

We discuss a relatively new and evolving area of commercial remedies relating to negotiation damages. We briefly touch on the more established concept of “user damages” in tort when contrasting the law’s remedial approach in contract claims involving no economic loss. During this episode, Dr Barnett takes us from the development of Wrotham Park damages to the United Kingdom Supreme Court’s decision in Morris-Garner and beyond. Given five decades of an inconsistent and complex legal landscape in this area, we tackle the question of what approach an Australian or New Zealand court might take in light of Morris-Garner and whether a coherent statement of principle is possible. I hope you will enjoy this discussion with Dr Katy Barnett.

On episode 32 of the Law Down Under Podcast, we are joined by Martin Dillon, a litigation specialist based in Hamilton, New Zealand.

Martin has an arts degree in philosophy, and his studies focus on ethics. In addition to his private client work, he is also an approved legal aid provider. Martin published CourtKeys.com , which is an access to justice project he launched in 2013 involving a website which answers many frequently asked questions about law and legal processes. He has received awards for innovations in access to justice at the APAC Legal Awards in 2022 and the Lawyer International Legal 100 Awards in 2023.

Martin is the author of Civil Litigation for Non-Lawyers , published by The Legal Drive in 2021. It provides information about how to run a civil Court case in New Zealand. It includes guidance on how to commence a claim in the District Court and the High Court, including what information is needed for particular documents.

We discuss several topics, from philosophy to the composition of the New Zealand Rules Committee and everything in between.  The key focus of our discussion is access to justice, including how the legal profession and the Courts can assist lay litigants (non-lawyers) to use the justice system more efficiently.  

On today’s episode, we interview Michael Weatherall, an expert in construction law and dispute resolution.  Michael has worked for Simpson Grierson since 1997, where he is now a partner and heads their construction law team.

Michael has specialist expertise in virtually all areas of construction law.  Before joining Simpson Grierson in 1997, he worked for the largest construction law firm in the UK.  His first career was as a structural engineer and project manager with Beca.  He remains a Chartered Professional Engineer. 

Michael is a past President of the New Zealand Society of Construction Law, and is a current member of the Standards New Zealand Committee which drafted the NZS3910:2023 Standard Conditions of Contract for Construction and Engineering Projects.  He is also co-author of Kennedy-Grant and Weatherall on Construction Law in New Zealand”, the country’s leading practitioner text.

We talk to Michael about all things construction law, including contracts and dispute resolution processes.  I hope you enjoy this episode with Michael Weatherall.

On today’s episode of the Law Down Under Podcast, we interview Larry Pozner, an internationally renowned expert on cross-examination.  A veteran criminal defence trial lawyer, Larry has achieved success as counsel in several high-profile cases and represented major American organizations such as the American Insurance Group and the Denver Broncos.

Larry began his career as a public defender in Colorado and went on to found two firms specializing in criminal defence and civil litigation.  He taught at the University of Denver College of Law, where he was voted Best Professor, and has since held programs on trial tactics throughout the US, Canada and Brazil.

He was recognised as Lawyer of the Year for Denver Criminal Defence (Non-White Collar) by The Best Lawyers in America, and has been listed in the publication since 1987.

Today, we have the privilege of hosting Larry on the podcast while he is in New Zealand to present his revolutionary seminar on cross examination.  We talk with Larry about his illustrious career which spans more than five decades, as well as the latest edition of his book, ‘Cross Examination: Science and Techniques’, which was co-authored with expert trial attorney Roger Dodd.  I hope you enjoy this episode with Larry Pozner.

On today’s episode of the Law Down Under Podcast, we interview former lawyer and current member of Parliament, Dr Duncan Webb.  Duncan has served as the MP for Christchurch Central since 2017.  As a former insurance lawyer and Professor of Law, Duncan has also worked for the Public Interest Project, which seeks to free innocent people from jail, and the Howard League, an organisation that advocates for prison reform.

Duncan serves as the Deputy Shadow Leader of the House, a Member of the Justice Committee, and the Co-Chairperson of the New Zealand, Middle East and Africa Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group.  He is also the Labour Party Spokesperson for Christchurch Issues, Justice, the Earthquake Commission, and Regulation.

In this episode, we discuss Duncan’s bill, “The Insurance Contracts Bill,” which was drawn from the members’ ballot bill biscuit tin in Parliament.  Duncan’s bill aims to modernize insurance laws in New Zealand, making insurance contracts fairer and clearer for consumers.  We talk with Duncan about how the bill rectifies several issues in our existing insurance law framework and brings much-needed reform to the industry.  I hope you enjoy this episode with the Hon Dr Duncan Webb.

On today’s episode of the Law Down Under Podcast, we are joined by James Cochrane, a partner in Lane Neave’s Dispute Resolution and Litigation team.  James has extensive experience in banking and finance, insolvency, and insurance.  He also has a passion for all things cryptocurrency and Web3 technology.

James was named by NZ Lawyer as a “changemaker” in its 2023 Most Influential Lawyers rankings.  In 2022, he was named by Doyle as a Leading Insolvency and Restructuring Lawyer for New Zealand.  He is a founding member of the New Zealand Institute of Credit Management, and is also on the Executive Council and legal working group for Blockchain New Zealand.

Today, we talked with James about the law of cryptocurrency, digital assets, and the blockchain.  We take a look at the challenges faced by investors, including emerging issues locally and overseas, as well as some local and international crypto exchange collapses.  We consider how New Zealanders can protect themselves as the law in this area continues to develop.

I hope you enjoy this episode with James Cochrane.

On today’s episode of the Law Down Under Podcast, we interview Michelle Chen, a specialist immigration lawyer and director of MC Legal.  Having grown up with migrant parents, Michelle is driven by her personal experiences to help individuals and businesses alike with their immigration-related enquiries.

Michelle is bilingual and has worked and studied in China and has travelled to several countries, including Russia, Tajikistan and Vietnam.  In 2022, she started her own immigration practice, MC Legal.  Michelle now works closely with businesses to ensure their ongoing immigration compliance, and with individuals looking to call New Zealand home.

Today we talk with Michelle about how her personal experiences have influenced her work as an immigration specialist.  We also take a look at the regulatory framework in New Zealand, and consider the challenges faced by migrants and businesses alike.

I hope you enjoy this episode with Michelle Chen.