If you're working in the public sector -- or dealing with it -- you'll know it's not without its challenges. There's a lot to get your head around: interpreting and applying legislation, navigating administrative law obligations, understanding constitutional conventions, consulting properly, advising on proposed legislation, and more.
When issues like these crop up, having a lawyer with the requisite public law knowledge on your side can be vital to charting the right course.
01 – CAPABILITIES
How I can help.
Three pillars covering the life of a public law decision -- from the powers that authorise it, through the process that produces it, to the scrutiny that may follow.
02 – EXPERIENCE
Selected experience.
A handful of representative projects, anonymised as appropriate, and most touching technology or digital government.
CASE 01
Information Rules
Drafting information rules that regulate two monitoring agencies, as required by primary legislation and in a manner that respected the Privacy Act and the Algorithm Charter.
Role: External counsel and primary drafter
CASE 03
NZGOAL and Software Extension
Major advisory and drafting contributions to NZGOAL and later the NZGOAL Software Extension, including absorbing consultation feedback from agencies and software developers respectively.
Role: All internal and external legal advice and primary drafter
CASE 02
Drafting instructions to PCO
Assisting with drafting instructions to Parliamentary Counsel in relation to legislation that was highly technical given the nature of the underlying technology.
Role: External counsel supporting in-house counsel
CASE 04
Whole of government directions
Advising on the drafting of whole of government directions under the Crown Entities Act, following Cabinet Office requirements and ensuring consistency with existing Cabinet directions.
Role: In-house and external advice and drafting assistance
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Richard stands out for his sharp legal brain, eloquence, communication skills, integrity, humility and reliability. Richard impressed all including the Commissioners with his submissions, ability to put arguments persuasively and the ease with which they were presented.
Former Assistant General Counsel
COMMERCE COMMISSION
03 – TOOLS I BUILT
Tools that speed up the work.
The NZGOAL Review and Release Process tool rapidly accelerates application of the NZGOAL review and release process.
NZGOAL Review and Release Process automation tool
During COVID-19 it struck me that agencies might need to release content for re-use quickly. So I built and released an automated NZGOAL review and release process. It asks the right questions and then provides an output report, including the Creative Commons licensing statements needed to release in accordance with NZGOAL. The tool is now behind password protection but I use it when I need to produce an NZGOAL report and licensing statements.
"With this tool, you can undertake the review and release process rapidly, and get the hardcopy and online licensing statements you need in a flash."
Have a public law matter in motion?
Happy to jump on Teams or Zoom to talk it through. Just a 15-min chat to see if I'm the right fit.