Navigating Child Support (2025) (On Demand)

This On Demand was recorded on 29 October 2025.

This exclusive session offers lawyers a unique opportunity to gain insights into navigating child support with leading Family Law experts Jan Chappell, Solicitor at Inland Revenue (IRD), Lady Deborah Chambers KC, Barrister at Bankside Chambers, and Stuart Cummings, Barrister at Surrey Chambers. It will cover foundational principles of child support while also addressing more complex issues such as crafting robust orders, enforcement of orders and IRD’s approach, with Jan Chappell providing invaluable insights into IRD’s approach to enforcement and handling of orders. This is a rare chance to receive insight from someone within the department offering a unique perspective on practical issues faced by practitioners.

Learning Outcomes

Gain insights into the enforcement of orders and IRD’s approach.
Learn how to effectively use the child support formula to determine obligations and understand how adjustments are made based on shared care or special circumstances.
Understand the critical importance of crafting explicit S21A and s32 Property (Relationships) Act orders to ensure they are enforceable and aligned with child support obligations.
Learn best practices for working with the IRD in child support cases.

Who Should Watch?

Family lawyers at all levels who deal with care of children and relationship property matters.

Presenters

Jan Chappell, Solicitor, Legal Services, Inland Revenue
Lady Deborah Chambers KC, Barrister, Bankside Chambers

Chair

Stuart Cummings, Barrister, Surrey Chambers

Jan Chappell

Jan has been with Inland Revenue for eleven and a half years. She specialises in child support matters, advising and appearing on legislative, administrative and litigation functions on behalf of the department.

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Lady Deborah Chambers KC

Deborah is one of the leading trust litigation and relationship property lawyers in New Zealand. She specialises in equity litigation, including fiduciary relationships and obligations. She originally practised in general civil litigation and in the criminal law field as a prosecutor but since 1996 has specialised in relationship property law, trusts, estates and fiduciary duties. Her work in this area includes complex cases frequently involving international property.

Deborah was admitted to the bar in 1983 and commenced practice as a barrister sole in 1989. She was made QC in 2007. Prior to that she was with Russell McVeagh, Auckland; a Procurator Fiscal Depute in Glasgow; Meredith Connell; and Butler White and Hanna.

Her litigation experience includes frequent appearances in the Family Court, High Court, Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. Deborah is also experienced at representing clients in mediations.

Her experience is reflected in the numerous papers and presentations she has made to conferences in New Zealand and she has written articles on a wide variety of legal topics. Deborah is the co-author of the best-selling handbook on domestic property law and estate law, For Richer For Poorer. She is also a co-author of the New Zealand Master Trusts Guide.

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Stuart Cummings

Stuart commenced practicing in 1979 as an old-fashioned law clerk while completing his law degree. After admission in 1982, Stuart practiced in the criminal and family courts before specialising exclusively in family law from the late 1980s. Stuart has practiced as a Barrister Sole since 1990, was a contributing author to Brookers Family Law on Relationship Property and is convenor of The Law Association Family Law Committee. His practice is now principally in the areas of relationship property and complex COCA cases.

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Details

CPD Hours: 1.50hr

Pricing Details

Ticket Price

Member: $155 GST
Non-member: $220 GST