Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006

Admission and enrolment of barristers and solicitors - Admission of barristers and solicitors

53: Reciprocal admission

You could also call this:

"Letting overseas lawyers work in New Zealand if their home country's laws are similar"

Illustration for Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006

The Governor-General can make a special order to let barristers or solicitors from another country become barristers or solicitors in New Zealand. You must have been practising in that country for at least three years and meet certain requirements. The Governor-General can make this order if they think the other country's laws are similar to New Zealand's and that New Zealand barristers and solicitors would be treated fairly in that country. You will need to give notice, prove your qualifications and good character, and pay a fee to become a barrister or solicitor in New Zealand. The Governor-General can make exceptions or add conditions to this order. This order is a type of law called secondary legislation, which has its own publication requirements, as explained in Part 3 of the Legislation Act 2019. If you are admitted as a barrister or solicitor under this order, you are considered to have been properly admitted. The Governor-General can also make rules to help this order work and to make sure everything runs smoothly. This helps make it easier for barristers and solicitors from other countries to work in New Zealand.

This text is automatically generated. It might be out of date or be missing some parts. Find out more about how we do this.

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM365772.

This page was last updated on — View changes

Topics:
Work and jobs > Job licensesImmigration and citizenship > Visas
Previous

52: Admission, or

"Becoming a Barrister and Solicitor: How to Get Admitted"

Next

54: Rules of court as to admission, or

"Rules to Become a Lawyer"

Part 3Admission and enrolment of barristers and solicitors
Admission of barristers and solicitors

53Reciprocal admission

  1. Where the Governor-General is satisfied—

  2. that the law relating to the admission of barristers or solicitors of a senior court of any country other than New Zealand is such as to ensure that they possess proper qualifications and competence; and
    1. that by the law of that country barristers and solicitors of the High Court of New Zealand will be entitled to admission as barristers or as solicitors of that senior court on terms as favourable as those on which barristers or solicitors of that court will under this Act be entitled to admission as barristers and solicitors of the High Court of New Zealand,—
        1. the Governor-General may, by Order in Council, order that barristers or solicitors of that senior court who have been in practice before that court for not less than 3 years must, on giving due notice and the prescribed proof of their qualifications and good character, and on payment of the prescribed fees, but subject to any exceptions, conditions, and modifications specified in the order, be admitted as barristers and solicitors of the High Court of New Zealand without examination.

      1. Any such order may refer to barristers only, or to solicitors only, or to barristers and solicitors, of any such country.

      2. Every person admitted under any such order is deemed to have been duly admitted under this Act.

      3. By the same or any subsequent order, the Governor-General may provide for all matters authorised by this section to be prescribed, and for all matters necessary to give effect to the order and to this section.

      4. An order under this section is secondary legislation (see Part 3 of the Legislation Act 2019 for publication requirements).

      Compare
      Notes
      • Section 53(1): amended, on , by section 183(b) of the Senior Courts Act 2016 (2016 No 48).
      • Section 53(1)(a): amended, on , by section 183(b) of the Senior Courts Act 2016 (2016 No 48).
      • Section 53(1)(b): amended, on , by section 183(b) of the Senior Courts Act 2016 (2016 No 48).
      • Section 53(5): inserted, on , by section 3 of the Secondary Legislation Act 2021 (2021 No 7).