Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006

If you need more information about this Act, please contact the administering agency: Ministry of Justice
156 Power of Standards Committee to make orders

(1)

If a Standards Committee makes a determination under section 152(2)(b), that Standards Committee may—

(a)

order that all or some of the terms of an agreed settlement between the person to whom a complaint relates and the complainant are to have effect, by consent, as all or part of a final determination of the complaint:

(b)

make an order censuring or reprimanding the person to whom a complaint relates:

(c)

order the person to whom a complaint relates to apologise to the complainant:

(d)

where it appears to the Standards Committee that any person has suffered loss by reason of any act or omission of a practitioner or former practitioner or an incorporated firm or former incorporated firm or an employee or former employee of a practitioner or an incorporated firm, order the practitioner or former practitioner or incorporated firm or former incorporated firm, or employee or former employee of a practitioner or an incorporated firm, to pay to that person such sum by way of compensation as is specified in the order, being a sum not exceeding, as the case may require, the amount that is from time to time prescribed for the purposes of this paragraph by rules made under this Act by the New Zealand Law Society or the New Zealand Society of Conveyancers:

(e)

order the practitioner or former practitioner or incorporated firm or former incorporated firm to reduce his, her, or its fees for any work (being work which has been done by the practitioner or former practitioner or incorporated firm and which is the subject of the proceedings before the Standards Committee) by such amount as is specified in the order:

(f)

order the practitioner or former practitioner or incorporated firm or former incorporated firm to cancel his, her, or its fees for any work (being work which has been done by the practitioner or former practitioner or incorporated firm or former incorporated firm and which is the subject of the proceedings before the Standards Committee):

(g)

for the purpose of giving effect to any order made under paragraph (e) or paragraph (f), order the practitioner or former practitioner or incorporated firm or former incorporated firm to refund any specified sum already paid to the practitioner or former practitioner or incorporated firm or former incorporated firm:

(h)

order the practitioner or former practitioner or incorporated firm or former incorporated firm or employee or former employee of a practitioner or an incorporated firm—

(i)

to rectify, at his or her or its own expense, any error or omission; or

(ii)

where it is not practicable to rectify the error or omission, to take steps to provide, at his or her or its own expense, relief, in whole or in part, from the consequences of the error or omission:

(i)

order the practitioner or former practitioner or incorporated firm or former incorporated firm, or employee or former employee of a practitioner or an incorporated firm, to pay to the New Zealand Law Society or the New Zealand Society of Conveyancers, as the case may require, a fine not exceeding $15,000:

(j)

order the practitioner, or any related person or entity, or both to make the practitioner’s practice available for inspection at such times and by such persons as are specified in the order:

(k)

order the incorporated firm to make its practice available for inspection at such times and by such persons as are specified in the order:

(l)

order the practitioner or incorporated firm to take advice in relation to the management of his, her, or its practice from such persons as are specified in the order:

(m)

order that the practitioner or any director or shareholder of the incorporated firm undergo practical training or education:

(n)

order the practitioner or former practitioner or incorporated firm or former incorporated firm, or any director or shareholder of the incorporated firm or former incorporated firm, or any employee or former employee of the practitioner or incorporated firm, to pay to the New Zealand Law Society or the New Zealand Society of Conveyancers such sum as the Standards Committee thinks fit in respect of the costs and expenses of and incidental to the inquiry or investigation made, and any hearing conducted, by the Standards Committee:

(o)

order the practitioner or former practitioner or incorporated firm or former incorporated firm, or any director or shareholder of the incorporated firm or former incorporated firm, or any employee or former employee of the practitioner or incorporated firm, to pay to the complainant any costs or expenses incurred by the complainant in respect of the inquiry, investigation, or hearing by the Standards Committee.

(2)

In paragraphs (j) to (l) of subsection (1), specified, in relation to any person, means specified either by name or as the holder for the time being of any particular office or appointment.

(3)

An order under this section may be made on and subject to such terms and conditions as the Standards Committee thinks fit.

(4)

The making of an order under this section for the payment of compensation to any person does not affect the right (if any) of that person to recover damages in respect of the same loss, but any sum ordered to be paid under this section, and the effect of any order made under this section for the reduction, cancellation, or refund of fees, must be taken into account in assessing any such damages.

(5)

Where an order made under any of the provisions of paragraphs (d) to (g) of subsection (1) is binding on any practitioner, that practitioner and any person who is, in relation to that practitioner, a related person or entity are jointly and severally liable to pay any amount that is payable under the order.

Compare: 1982 No 123 s 106(2), (4)(a), (b), (e), (f), (g), (i), (j), (7)–(9)