Regulation of Employment Advocates

The President-Elect of the New Zealand Bar Association | Ngā Ahorangi Motuhake o te Ture, Maria Dew QC, has released the following statement in respect of the Government’s recent confirmation that the “role of employment advocates is something that the Government intends to consider” as part of a review into the employment dispute resolution system (Newsroom, 12 April 2022).

The Bar Association supports the Government’s review.

The Employment Law Institute of New Zealand, which supports employment law professionals including employment advocates, has a code of conduct for its members and provides a complaints service for the public.

The Bar Association believes this approach should be supported through the regulation of professional employment advocates who are not presently subject to a regulatory regime.

Such regulation has been created for Immigration Advisers and Private Security Personnel and Private Investigators to good effect and would help to protect the public and enhance the reputation of the industry.

The New Zealand Bar Association | Ngā Ahorangi Motuhake o te Ture is a voluntary organisation for barristers.

The Association’s purposes include the promotion and encouragement of a high standard of legal representation and advocacy.