Explore the latest in not-for-profit and charities law, from your new requirements under the Charities Amendment Act to employment law updates, plus pro tips for structuring a not-for-profit organisation. Navigate the main reasons for deregistration – and how to avoid them! Don’t miss the opportunity to hear from Inland Revenue about tax and tax reporting for the not-for-profit sector, and dive into the world of impact investing, unpacking the legal considerations when diversifying charity income.

Presenters

Andrew Clements, Owner and Workplace Director, Grayson Clements Limited
Andrew acts for enterprise, institutional, charitable, and private wealth clients both domestically and internationally. As an owner and director of Grayson Clements Ltd, with over 20 years of experience, Andrew’s expertise extends beyond structural design and succession planning to include a deep commitment to supporting the charitable sector. Andrew has developed a niche expertise in trusts and limited partnerships, presenting and lecturing on these topics for professional bodies and institutions. His work with charitable entities includes setting up and implementing structural strategies that promote enterprise expansion, multigenerational succession, and philanthropic initiatives. He actively advises charities on governance, compliance, transactions, and strategic growth, helping them to align with their core missions while ensuring sustainability and legal integrity. His experience also includes guiding charities through difficult transitions, including winding up when necessary. Grayson Clements has been committed to the charitable sector since its inception, reflecting the firm’s core values and dedication to building a stronger, more sustainable Aotearoa, New Zealand. Andrew’s work mirrors this commitment, recognising the crucial role charities play in fostering a healthy and vibrant society. Andrew is a Notary Public registered with the New Zealand Society of Notaries. His memberships include the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, the New Zealand Law Society, and the Auckland District Law Society.


Susan Barker, Director, Charity Law Association of Australia and New Zealand
Sue Barker is the director of Sue Barker Charities Law, a boutique law firm based in Wellington, specialising in charities law and public tax law. Since its founding in 2012, the firm has won several awards, including Boutique Law Firm of the Year at the New Zealand Law Awards. Sue is recognised by the International Charity Law Network as a Charity Law Scholar. Sue is also a director of the Charity Law Association of Australia and New Zealand, and a co-author of the text The Law and Practice of Charities in New Zealand (LexisNexis, 2013). In 2019, Sue was awarded the New Zealand Law Foundation International Research Fellowship Te Karahipi Rangahau ā Taiao, to undertake research into the question “What does a world-leading framework of charities law look like?”. The final report from the Fellowship, entitled Focus on purpose, was released in April 2022 making 70 recommendations for charities law reform in Aotearoa New Zealand.


Steven Moe, Partner, Parry Field Lawyers
Steven Moe is a Partner at Parry Field Lawyers with a focus on 'for purpose' organisations ranging from social enterprises to charities, NFPs and religious groups. He has worked as a lawyer for 20 years including 11 years overseas based in Tokyo, London, and Sydney and since 2016 has been based in Christchurch. He is Director of a charitable company and is Chair of Community Finance (impact investing with a social housing focus). He writes on purpose and impact for Spinoff, hosts seeds podcast with 260+ interviews of inspiring people from across Aotearoa and wrote the book “Social Enterprises in New Zealand: A Legal Handbook”.


Dr Juliet Chevalier-Watts, PhD, PGCLT, LLM (Distinction), LLB(Hons), BA (Hons). Associate Professor in Law, Research Convenor and former Co-Director, Waikato Public Law and Policy Research Unit
Juliet is a specialist in charity law, equity and trusts, and religious law. Juliet’s recent contributions to the literature includes the monographs "The Law of Religion in New Zealand" and the 2nd edition of the "Law of Charity", and the OUP article "Advocating for the environment, charity law and Greenpeace: A New Zealand perspective".  Juliet has authored four other books, several book chapters, numerous journal articles, as well as giving radio interviews and podcasts, and producing several commissioned reports. Juliet also provides pro bono charity law work.


Stewart Donaldson, Principal Policy Advisor, Inland Revenue – Te Tari Taake
Stewart is a fellow chartered accountant and lives in Wellington. He has worked for the New Zealand Charities Commission as an advisor and for the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission as the director of compliance and reporting. From 2016 Stewart has been a Principal Policy Advisor at Inland Revenue. Stewart has been a board member for several charities and not-for-profits.


Sarah Wadworth, Special Counsel, Lane Neave
Sarah works within the Family and Employment Law teams at Lane Neave and has broad experience in dispute resolution. Before joining Lane Neave in 2024, Sarah was a Partner at a general practice firm in Blenheim, where she advised private and corporate clients on all aspects of the law and conducted a general litigation practice with an emphasis on employment and relationship property matters. Sarah has appeared and represented clients in mediations, the Employment Relations Authority, as well as the Family, District and High Courts on a wide range of claims.