The Bar Symposium 2026

A focused half‑day programme on one of the defining questions facing the profession: how the rule of law operates in a justice system under pressure to deliver more, faster.

Bringing together leading voices from across the bar and bench, this symposium examines the growing tension between fairness and efficiency — and what that means in practice for both criminal and civil advocacy.

Courts are being asked to resolve disputes more quickly and cost‑effectively, while still upholding core principles: procedural fairness, meaningful participation, and the proper testing of evidence. This programme looks squarely at how those pressures are reshaping advocacy.

What we’ll cover

• The balance between fairness and efficiency in the modern justice system.
  
  
• The increasing demands on appellate advocacy and how oral submissions are evolving.
  
  
• The changing nature of cross‑examination, including remote evidence, protections for vulnerable witnesses, and non‑traditional hearing formats.
  
  
• The impact of these developments on evidence in chief and re‑examination — and whether traditional techniques remain fit for purpose.

These shifts promise greater accessibility and efficiency — but they also raise important questions about the quality of evidence, the assessment of credibility, and how advocates adapt in practice.

Cost: 
NZBA Members: $275 inc GST
Non Members: $350 inc GST

Registration and light lunch from 11.30am | Symposium starts at 12.30pm

Programme will include:

• The Rule of Law
• Fairness vs Efficiency: The Modern Justice System
• Oral Submissions
• Cross examination
• Evidence in Chief and Re examination
• Presentation of Access to Justice Award and Cocktail function 

Full programme details and speakers to come.

This event is open to members and non-members, so get in quick, places are limited.