93% of the country's lawyers have completed the requirements as of 28 June
The New Zealand Law Society has reminded lawyers of the impending deadline to renew practising certificates.
According to the Law Society, as of 28 June, 93% of the country’s lawyers have completed the requirements. Practising licenses must be renewed before midnight tomorrow, 30 June, for lawyers who wish to practice from 1 July beyond.
Even lawyers who will not be renewing their practising certificates need to notify the registry of lawyers of their intentions, said Christine Schofield, New Zealand Law Society Registry manager.
The organisation’s staff members have been trying to personally contact all lawyers who hold a current practising certificate but who have not renewed, she said.
“The names of those lawyers who do not renew within the required time will be removed from the Register of Lawyers on 1 July 2018. A fresh application for a practising certificate will need to be made from that date if a lawyer wishes to renew,” she said.
Last year, the Law Society began issuing electronic practising certificates, which lawyers can download upon completing the renewal process.
The Law Society said that the practising fee for 1 July to 30 June 2019 is $1,040, down from $1,140 for the current year. Lawyers must also pay $130, up from $125, for operation of the Legal Complaints Review Office and $22 for operation of the New Zealand Council of Legal Education.
Lawyers who practice on their own account must pay $380 for the New Zealand Law Society’s inspectorate. Those among the group who also operate a trust account must contribute $320 to the Lawyers’ Fidelity Fund.
