Delve into the diverse challenges facing schools and learn to manage them within the confines of your legal requirements. From student discipline to navigating the rights of neurodiverse students, you’ll explore complex terrain. Gain effective strategies for managing reasonable complaints from both parents and students. Tackle the complexities of handling short-term and long-term staff illnesses, dealing with questionable behaviour outside of work and the use of CCTV in your school. 

Presenters

Ms Gretchen Stone, Partner, Harrison Stone
Gretchen Stone specialises in employment and education law. She advises secondary principals through the Secondary Principals Association of New Zealand and with primary principals as the Honorary Solicitor for Auckland Primary Principals Association. Gretchen has extensive experience advising Principals and Board of Trustees in relation to employment and disciplinary issues, governance and management, student discipline issues, social media, and all areas of legal liability within the education sector.


Mr. Leo Donnelly ONZM, Barrister,
Leo Donnelly ONZM is a former Ombudsman of New Zealand and is one of New Zealand’s leading experts in official information and privacy law. As an Ombudsman, Deputy Ombudsman and a senior investigator at the Office of the Ombudsman, Leo spent 3 decades investigating and reviewing complaints about the administrative actions and procedures of state sector organisations and recommending resolutions to promote fair, just and transparent delivery of services to the public. This involved assessing individual actions and omissions in the context of an organisations systems and culture and statutory responsibilities. Leo brings governance and strategy expertise and wide experience in complaint handling and dispute resolution.


Ms. Minka Boddé, Special Counsel, Aspiring Law
Minka is an experienced Family Law Specialist, who has recently taken up the helm leading the Family Law team at Aspiring Law. She began her career as a general litigation solicitor, returning to specialise in family law in 2009 after spending 8 years raising her children. Minka represents both parents and children in the Family Court, providing mediation privately or through FDR. She specialises in conflict coaching for families going through separation. Minka is committed to helping families navigate the separation process to avoid as much trauma and damage as possible, while achieving a safe outcome for the children. She is passionate about the work towards a Family Court system that not only assists families to maintain a level of relatedness and co-operation, but supports and educates them to deal with the challenges to their family in a holistic and empowering way.


Mr. Patrick Ikiua, Director Professional Practice, New Zealand School Trustees Association
Patrick Ikiua is the Tamaki Makaurau & Te Tai Tokerau Regional Director for Te Whakaroputanga Kaitiaki Kura o Aotearoa (NZSTA). In this role, he oversees the delivery of governance and employment support and guidance to school boards in the northern region. He is married to the beautiful Lily and they are blessed with six children.


Mr. David Fleming, Barrister,
David is barrister at Fleming Singleton Law. He has over 25 years’ experience specialising in employment, human rights and education issues. As well as providing legal advice and representation, he conducts mediations and employment investigations for schools and other clients. David has considerable experience in dealing with educational issues relating to people with disabilities or neurological conditions, both as a legal adviser to parents, schools, and when in a previous role the Human Rights Commission, and as a parent of two children with Autism.


Ms. Fiona McMillan, Partner, Lane Neave
Fiona is the Auckland Partner of the Employment Law team and commenced her career with Lane Neave in 2007. Fiona and her team act for both employees and employers in matters involving employment relations, health and safety, human rights, privacy and ACC. Fiona advises on all aspects of termination including performance management, misconduct, serious misconduct, medical incapacity, restructurings and redundancies and negotiated exits. She also specialises in collective bargaining, human rights commission matter and independent external investigations. In 2019, Fiona undertook the certification from the Association of Workplace Investigators in Vail, Colorado, USA. Fiona regularly represents employers in Mediations, Employment Relations Authority Investigation meetings and the Employment Court. She acted as counsel in the leading case on penalties – Borsboom v PVT Limited and the leading case on union discrimination – Lamont and Others v Ritchies Transport Holdings Limited. Fiona was nominated for Young Lawyer of the Year at the 2016 Law Awards. In 2022, she was recognised as an Elite Woman in NZ Lawyer’s annual rankings. Also in 2022, Fiona was named in the Doyle’s Guide as a recommended Employment Lawyer. Fiona has also been recognised in Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners as a leading employment and health and safety practitioner in New Zealand.


Ms. Hayley Miller, Partner, Dentons
Hayley is a commercial lawyer with a particular focus on technology and innovation. She has developed a multi-disciplinary practice which is often at the intersection of technology, privacy and consumer law. She has extensive experience working collaboratively with developers, suppliers and purchasers of technology hardware, software, infrastructure, products and services, including licensing, development, commercialisation, supply and acquisition and various "as a service" offerings. Hayley is an expert on New Zealand privacy law, regularly advising on regulatory compliance, cybersecurity, data sovereignty and other considerations to the use of cloud based technology. She assists clients utilising big data within their organisations or as the base for new ventures utilising big data analytics.


Mr. James Crichton, Employment Law Specialist , Three60 Consult
James Crichton logged his first appearance in an employment institution in 1978. His first 10 years of working life were spent in management, culminating in a period as general manager of a local authority. When he commenced legal practice, he developed an interest in working in schools, acting for teachers against schools, and for schools again teachers. He was appointed as a Commissioner or Limited Statutory Manager of a public school on four occasions. In 2004, James was appointed a temporary Member of the Employment Relations Authority and he was reappointed regularly thereafter as a permanent Member of the Authority. After 15 years of service to that institution, culminating with the last four years as Chief, he left the Authority to return to the Bar, specialising in employment law and practice, and alternative dispute resolution.