Employment issues in schools are complex and demand careful attention. Attend and receive your ultimate guide to employment concerns in your school and ensure you handle the next issue that rears its head with a strong legal foundation. Be guided by legal experts in the education sector as they walk you through key family law issues you must be aware of and how best to manage the risk that goes hand in hand with social media and school excursions. 

Presenters

Mr. Simon Kenny, Principal, Fergusson Intermediate School
Simon has been in education for over 25 years now after leaving his career in graphic design and photolithography at the age of 26. He has taught in many schools in Wellington and has been the Principal of a small contributing School (Birchville School) before winning the Principal position at Fergusson Intermediate where he has been for the past 7 years. Leading the school community through the COVID years has been a challenge, but also a huge privilege and opportunity to learn and grow. Simon’s wife is also a Principal and they have a 16 year old son who went to both of their schools as a young student before escaping to college. Simon is passionate about education and empowering all of our amazing young people. He works in a high energy environment and absolutely loves his school, his team and his community.


Ms. Tanya Kennedy, Barrister, Lambton Chambers
Tanya Kennedy has over 20 years of experience in employment law. She has worked in private practice and a range of in-house Legal Counsel roles (including with a specific education focus). She has been a Barrister since 2019. She advises and represents clients in the full range of employment law issues and institutions, including mediation, the Employment Relations Authority, and the Employment Court. She also has extensive experience as a workplace investigator and representing clients in employment investigation processes. Tanya has experience advising and representing various parties to an employment relationship – employers, employees and unions. This enables Tanya to look at employment issues from various angles, to provide strategic and practical advice.


Mr. Murray Grant, Special Counsel, Wotton + Kearney
Murray specialises in employment and discrimination law and practice. He has a wide range of experience in all aspects including general HR issues (misconduct, performance management and restructuring), discrimination (including bullying and harassment), whistleblowing and privacy. Before coming to New Zealand in 2017, Murray practised as a civil litigation barrister in England and Wales and has a considerable advocacy background in mediations, tribunals and courts. Since arriving in New Zealand, he advises and represents in mediations (including in the Human Rights Commission), the Employment Relations Authority (ERA), and the Human Rights Review Tribunal (HRRT). His sector experience is varied and most recently includes healthcare, education, real estate, public sector and retail. His experience includes health and safety and data protection/privacy issues. Murray also has considerable experience assisting healthcare professionals in New Zealand with professional indemnity and employment issues.


Mr. Jordan Boyle, Partner, Dyhrberg Drayton Employment Law
Jordan graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 2014 and was admitted to the Bar in September 2014. He joined Dyhrberg Drayton Employment Law in 2016. Jordan strategically advises employers and employees on a range of employment law matters. Jordan is usually able to pragmatically resolve contentious matters through negotiation and mediation. Where matters are not able to be resolved Jordan has consistently achieved successful outcomes through litigation. Jordan has appeared at all levels of courts and authorities, from the Employment Relations Authority to the Supreme Court. Jordan is an experienced workplace investigator, undertaking independent investigations for employers of all sizes in the public and private sector on a range of issues.


Mr. Chris Scarrott, Senior Associate, Kaiwawao Matua, Mahony Horner Lawyers
Born and raised in Hawke's Bay, Chris Scarrott graduated from Victoria University of Wellington in 2014 with an LLB and a BA and joined Cullen in April 2016. Prior to joining Cullen Chris worked for the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment as a Client Service Advisor. In that role Chris gave advice to members of the public on residential tenancy issues and information on employment matters. Chris' work for MBIE in the employment area reignited an existing passion for employment law and provided a thorough grounding in the employment legislation. Chris is focused on providing thorough advice and practical options for both employers and employees.


Ms. Paddy Miller, Associate, Dyhrberg Drayton Employment Law
Paddy graduated with an LLB and BA (Political Science) from Victoria University of Wellington in May 2020 and was admitted to the Bar in March 2021. She is passionate about helping clients navigate the complex relationships that exist in employment environments. Paddy has experience advising clients in employment matters including investigations, personal grievances, disciplinary processes, representing clients at mediation, negotiating exit packages and navigating COVID-19 related employment issues. She also has experience drafting employment agreements and policies, tailored to suit client needs. Paddy is a committee member of the Wellington Women Lawyers’ Association. In her spare time, Paddy enjoys hiking and spending time with family and friends.


Ms. Shelley Stevenson, Barrister, Kumutoto Chambers
Shelley is an experienced family lawyer based in Wellington, New Zealand. She specialises in all aspects of family law and has special interest in relationship property and cases involving Oranga Tamariki. She is regularly appointed by the Family Court to represent children in parenting disputes and child protection cases. Earlier in her career Shelley was a youth advocate, criminal defence lawyer and civil litigator and has worked in family law since 1995.


Ms. Holly Hedley, Senior Associate, Buddle Findlay
Holly has more than a decade of experience specialising in health, employment and privacy law. She has particular expertise helping clients in managing employment issues that raise professional and regulatory standards and also regularly advises clients who are responding to privacy complaints and breaches. She has broad experience across the health, disability and education sectors and understands the pressures and nuances of working with staff, students, families, and other key stakeholders. Holly has an LLM from Georgetown law and is the convenor of the National Law Society Health Law Committee.


Ms. Denise Johnson, Principal, Hutt Valley High School
Denise Johnson is the principal of Hutt Valley High School, a large co-educational secondary school with a roll of 1730 students. Denise started her teaching career in Southland at Menzies College. She then taught for 3 years at various schools in London before returning to New Zealand in 1990. Denise was a Deputy Principal at Wellington Girls’ College and Wellington High School before joining the leadership team at HVHS as an Associate Principal in 2012. She co-led the school with the late Ross Sinclair for 8 years. Denise is a trustee and founding member of the Wellington Loop. She is interested in the transformative power of collaboration between educators and schools in order to build teacher capability and to develop innovative thinking and practice.


Ms. Samantha Turner, Barrister, Stout Street Chambers
Samantha is a leading employment and health and safety law expert. She has over twenty years’ experience and is a skilled mediator and litigator, who is also a regular speaker at conferences and trainer on key employment and health and safety issues. Samantha has extensive experience working with public sector and local government bodies and she has been involved in a number of high-profile reviews, inquiries and investigations. Samantha has also worked with a wide range of leading New Zealand and global corporates, often working with leaders and lawyers from other jurisdictions and matching the requirements of New Zealand compliance to initiatives proposed from other jurisdictions. She was previously a partner at Simpson Grierson and she joined the independent bar in late 2021. Samantha has consistently been a ranked lawyer in Chambers Asia-Pacific Employment and Asia Pacific Legal 500 Employment and other leading legal directories.