Paul Collins

Profile

Paul has a wealth of experience in the areas of professional discipline and regulation within the legal profession.  He also acts in a wide range of civil disputes.  He has prosecuted and defended numerous cases in the Disciplinary Tribunal and regularly appears in the Senior Courts in regulatory and general civil matters.


Paul has over 35 years’ litigation experience.  He holds an LLB (Hons) from the University of Auckland and an LLM from the University of Michigan.


Paul regularly contributes to legal education with webinars and presentations and is a contributing author to Professional Responsibility in New Zealand (LexisNexis) and was consulting editor for The Laws of New Zealand: Lawyers and Conveyancers and conducts expert reviews of other texts as and when required.  Paul is the current convenor of the NZLS Ethics Committee. He was a convenor of the National Standards Committee until his nine-year tenure expired and he continues to be involved in litigation and advisory work in relation to complaints and discipline.


Paul is also an experienced arbitrator in commercial disputes.

Profile

Paul has a wealth of experience in the areas of professional discipline and regulation within the legal profession.  He also acts in a wide range of civil disputes.  He has prosecuted and defended numerous cases in the Disciplinary Tribunal and regularly appears in the Senior Courts in regulatory and general civil matters.


Paul has over 35 years’ litigation experience.  He holds an LLB (Hons) from the University of Auckland and an LLM from the University of Michigan.


Paul regularly contributes to legal education with webinars and presentations and is a contributing author to Professional Responsibility in New Zealand (LexisNexis) and was consulting editor for The Laws of New Zealand: Lawyers and Conveyancers and conducts expert reviews of other texts as and when required.  Paul is the current convenor of the NZLS Ethics Committee. He was a convenor of the National Standards Committee until his nine-year tenure expired and he continues to be involved in litigation and advisory work in relation to complaints and discipline.


Paul is also an experienced arbitrator in commercial disputes.

Profile

Paul has a wealth of experience in the areas of professional discipline and regulation within the legal profession.  He also acts in a wide range of civil disputes.  He has prosecuted and defended numerous cases in the Disciplinary Tribunal and regularly appears in the Senior Courts in regulatory and general civil matters.


Paul has over 35 years’ litigation experience.  He holds an LLB (Hons) from the University of Auckland and an LLM from the University of Michigan.


Paul regularly contributes to legal education with webinars and presentations and is a contributing author to Professional Responsibility in New Zealand (LexisNexis) and was consulting editor for The Laws of New Zealand: Lawyers and Conveyancers and conducts expert reviews of other texts as and when required.  Paul is the current convenor of the NZLS Ethics Committee. He was a convenor of the National Standards Committee until his nine-year tenure expired and he continues to be involved in litigation and advisory work in relation to complaints and discipline.


Paul is also an experienced arbitrator in commercial disputes.

Additional information

Case History

Paul has appeared in numerous cases in a wide range of tribunals and courts.  Some leading cases in his specialist area, concerning professional responsibility and regulation of the legal profession are:

  • Reid v New Zealand Law Society [2023] NZHC 2370
  • Little v New Zealand Law Society [2022] NZCA 121
  • New Zealand Law Society v Stanley [2020] NZSC 83; [2020] 1 NZLR 50
  • McGuire v Secretary for Justice [2018] NZSC 116; [2019] 1 NZLR 335
  • Lincoln v New Zealand Law Society [2019] NZCA 442; [2019] NZAR 1931
  • Hart v Auckland Standards Committee 1 of The New Zealand Law Society [2013] NZHC 83; [2013] 3 NZLR 103


Documents

Paul has appeared in numerous cases in a wide range of tribunals and courts.  Some leading cases in his specialist area, concerning professional responsibility and regulation of the legal profession are:

  • Reid v New Zealand Law Society [2023] NZHC 2370
  • Little v New Zealand Law Society [2022] NZCA 121
  • New Zealand Law Society v Stanley [2020] NZSC 83; [2020] 1 NZLR 50
  • McGuire v Secretary for Justice [2018] NZSC 116; [2019] 1 NZLR 335
  • Lincoln v New Zealand Law Society [2019] NZCA 442; [2019] NZAR 1931
  • Hart v Auckland Standards Committee 1 of The New Zealand Law Society [2013] NZHC 83; [2013] 3 NZLR 103


Publications and Seminars
  • Ethics for Litigators NZLS and NZBA seminars (co-presenter).
  • Professional Responsibility in New Zealand (LexisNexis) including commentary on Conduct and Client Care Rules.
  • Consulting editor for The Laws of New Zealand: Lawyers and Conveyancers (2nd ed.)
  • Author of handbook for Lawyers Standards Committees; Practice Note Concerning the Functions and Operations of Lawyers Standards Committees (2021).

Professional Activities
  • Convenor of the NZLS Ethics Committee.
  • Chairman of Lawyers National Standards Committee from 2008 to 2017.
  • Adviser to Law Societies since mid-1990s on wide range of matters relating to the regulation and governance of legal profession in New Zealand including; complaints and discipline, admissions and practising certificates, Fidelity Fund, and related matters.
  • Trust Account Supervisor (1988 to 2011).
  • Volunteer in a range of capacities within the legal profession; cost reviser since 1998, member of ADLS Panel of Friends since 1995, member of ADLS Benevolent Fund/Members' Special Fund Committee since 1999.
  • Member of Faculty, NZLS Litigation Skills Course.

Qualifications

LLB (Hons) (Auckland) 1988
LLM (University of Michigan) 1990
Admissions:  New Zealand (1988), Samoa (2022)
Barrister Sole: 2012


Paul
Collins
[email protected]
+64 21 281 9871
+64 9 307 9824
Shortland Chambers