The Law Association of New Zealand

Company Law Update

This session will provide an in-depth examination of recent developments in shareholder remedies and corporate governance, with particular emphasis on emerging case law and its practical implications for practitioners. It will explore judicial approaches to shareholder liability issues, including when shareholders may properly initiate unfair prejudice proceedings and the evolving thresholds for obtaining leave to bring derivative actions. 

The session will also examine the circumstances in which fiduciary duties may arise in commercial and joint venture relationships, including the extent to which the use of contractual and corporate structures affects the existence and scope of those duties. This analysis is directed to how fiduciary characterisation can affect company law outcomes in shareholder and corporate disputes.

It will conclude with a review of recent case law concerning company meetings, highlighting key procedural requirements, common pitfalls, and the courts’ approach to challenges arising from meeting conduct and decision making.

Learning Outcomes

  • Identify when unfair prejudice and derivative remedies may be properly invoked. 
  • Understand when fiduciary duties may arise in commercial and joint venture relationships.
  • Assess the impact of contractual and corporate structures on the incidence of fiduciary obligations 
  • Apply recent case law on company meetings to ensure procedural compliance. 
  • Recognise the practical implications of recent decisions for governance and dispute resolution strategies.


Who Should Attend?

This session is ideal for lawyers practising in company law, competition law, or commercial litigation. It will also be valuable for general practitioners, as well as intermediate to senior commercial lawyers seeking to further develop and strengthen their core competencies.


Presenters

Dr John Land | Barrister, Bankside Chambers
Stephanie Nicolson | Special Counsel, Lowndes Jordan
Mingze Sun | Barrister, FortyEight Shortland Barristers


John Land

John Land is a senior barrister at Bankside Chambers in Auckland. He was formerly a partner at national New Zealand law firm Kensington Swan (now Dentons) for 20 years.

John is a commercial litigator with in-depth specialist competition law expertise and experience having acted as counsel in several major New Zealand competition law cases. John also teaches the undergraduate company law course at Auckland University.

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Stephanie Nicolson

Stephanie is an experienced senior litigator whose main area of practice is in commercial litigation and disputes resolution. She is experienced in insolvency, company law and directors’ duties, and regulatory prosecutions, as well as general contract, tort and equitable disputes, and trusts and property law.

Stephanie was admitted to the Bar in 2003 after studying at the University of Canterbury to obtain bachelor's degrees in both law and science. She has represented both corporate and private clients in a variety of civil disputes across several dispute resolution forums. 

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Mingze Sun

Mingze is a commerical barrister at FortyEight Shortland. He served as an adjunct lecturer for the Commercial Law Department at the University of Auckland, was Senior Lead Tutor for Torts and Equity, taught across core public and commercial law subjects, and serves as a judge of the Auckland Law School Moot Court. He was Editor-in-Chief of the Public Interest Law Journal of New Zealand and has published in the Auckland University Law Review.

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Details

Pricing Details

Ticket Price

Member: $160 plus GST
Non-Member: $230 plus GST




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Registration

Registration Close Date

09/06/2026
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