Law Honours

Human Rights

The legal modes for protection of human rights, including the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 and the Human Rights Act 1993, freedom of expression and religion, criminal procedural rights, equality, and the prohibited grounds of discrimination.

Restriction: LAW 342, 452

To complete this course students must enrol in LAWHONS 702 A and B

Criminal Law and Policy

An in-depth analysis of current issues in substantive and procedural criminal law including: the role and function of forensic experts, developments in criminal law, criminal justice theory and criminal law reform.

Restriction: LAW 346

To complete this course students must enrol in LAWHONS 706 A and B

Legal History

Historical analysis of problems currently facing the law in Aotearoa New Zealand with reference to both English sources and indigenous developments.

Restriction: LAW 356

To complete this course students must enrol in LAWHONS 716 A and B

Maritime Law

A study of the law governing ships including: the ownership of and property in ships, charter parties, ship mortgages, law of carriage, shipboard crimes and torts, the law of collision, salvage, wrecks, the admiralty jurisdiction of the courts, national shipping laws, the international regulatory framework, the conflict of laws rules applicable to admiralty disputes and marine insurance.

Restriction: LAW 360

To complete this course students must enrol in LAWHONS 720 A and B

Media Law

Topics on the law governing the media and journalists including: defamation, contempt of court, breach of confidence, privacy, the broadcasting legislation, censorship and copyright.

Restriction: LAW 361, LAWGENRL 449

To complete this course students must enrol in LAWHONS 721 A and B

Medico-legal Problems

Selected studies in the relationship between law and medicine including: the purchase and provision of health services, the relationship between health providers and consumers, professional accountability, codes of rights, legal and ethical issues at the start and end of life, and biomedical research.

Restriction: LAW 362

To complete this course students must enrol in LAWHONS 722 A and B

Studies in Public Law

Advanced studies in respect of the principles and workings of the New Zealand constitution, the powers, privileges and immunities of the three branches of government, the exercise and control of government power and the relationship between the individual and the state (including the position of Māori under the Treaty of Waitangi).

Restriction: LAW 368, 403, 404

To complete this course students must enrol in LAWHONS 728 A and B

Studies in Torts

A study of policy issues in the law of tort, developments in the law of negligence, the economic torts, breach of statutory duty, invasion of privacy, informed consent, defences and remedies.

Restriction: LAW 369

To complete this course students must enrol in LAWHONS 729 A and B

Studies in Contract Law

Advanced studies of selected topics in contract law (and related areas), which may include consideration of the history of contract law, various jurisprudential and/or comparative approaches to contract law, various doctrines of contract law, the law of remedies and statutory reform of contract law.

Restriction: LAW 383

To complete this course students must enrol in LAWHONS 733 A and B

Issues in Insurance Law

A consideration of the law governing insurance contracts, including the duty of utmost good faith; the interpretation of the policy; the scope of cover; warranties and conditions; the claims process and fraudulent claims; and quantification of the insurer’s obligations; subrogation and recoupment; and third party rights.

Restriction: LAW 384, 431, LAWCOMM 424, 453

Restriction: LAWCOMM 424, 453

To complete this course students must enrol in LAWHONS 734 A and B

Corruption and Democracy

Corruption has devastating implications for self-government. This seminar explores how corruption manifests within democracies specifically: the impact of corruption on democratic values and priorities; the inequalities it creates within political and economic systems; the environmental destruction and the potential for human rights violations it creates - all from the perspective of distinct sources of law including constitutions and treaties.

Restriction: LAW 385, LAWPUBL 467

To complete this course students must enrol in LAWHONS 735 A and B

Topics in International Law

An in-depth analysis of selected topics in historical and contemporary international law, the aim of which is to provide students with a deeper appreciation of the theoretical debates in the discipline, as well as a broader understanding of the topics being studied.

Corequisite: LAW 435 or LAWPUBL 402

To complete this course students must enrol in LAWHONS 736 A and B

Law of Agency

A study of the principles of agency law and selected applications thereof.

To complete this course students must enrol in LAWHONS 737 A and B

Studies in Company Law and Contract Law

An advanced study of selected topics in the areas of company law and contract law, including the relationship between directors, theories of the company, comparative corporate law, shareholders and the company, consideration of the history of contract law, various jurisprudential and/or comparative approaches to contract law, various doctrines of contract law and potential statutory reform of contract law.

Corequisite: LAWCOMM 402

To complete this course students must enrol in LAWHONS 738 A and B

Theoretical Foundations of Private Law

Explores some of the main schools of thought in contemporary private law theory, including formalism, realism, economic analysis and critical legal studies. Examines the key concepts and values associated with each theory before considering different theoretical frameworks for understanding two of the main categories of private law: property and contract.

To complete this course students must enrol in LAWHONS 739 A and B

The History of the Law of Obligations

The doctrinal history of the law of contract, tort and unjust enrichment from the twelfth century to the twentieth century. Original primary materials in the form of case law and legal treatises are considered.

Restriction: LAW 356, LAWGENRL 445

To complete this course students must enrol in LAWHONS 740 A and B

Indigenous Peoples and the Law

An overall consideration of Indigenous peoples in international, constitutional and human rights law in New Zealand and internationally.

Restriction: LAWPUBL 446

To complete this course students must enrol in LAWHONS 741 A and B

Public Authority Liability

Covers the various public and private law bases for monetary liability of public authorities (with a focus on Torts); the doctrinal and policy debates surrounding such liability; the uncertain interface between private and public law.

Restriction: LAW 466, LAWGENRL 450, LAWPUBL 450

To complete this course students must enrol in LAWHONS 742 A and B

Refugee and Immigration Law

Advanced studies on a range of refugee and immigration law matters including: the history and development of the international refugee system, changing understandings of refugees, detention systems and camps, people smuggling, themes in New Zealand immigration law history, the securitisation of immigration law and prospects of a borderless world. The course will incorporate history, theory, policy and critical analysis.

To complete this course students must enrol in LAWHONS 743 A and B

Special Topic: Privacy Law

To complete this course students must enrol in LAWHONS 744 A and B, or LAWHONS 744

Corporate Governance

A study of the governance of corporations adopting comparative, and law-and-economics perspectives including the role and obligations of the board, the legal and economic relationships between corporate constituents, and trends and developments in corporate governance.

Concepts in Law and Security

An in-depth analysis of theoretical concepts related to law and security. The aims of the course are to introduce students to key concepts in the relevant academic discourse, to explore the ways in which these concepts frame discussions regarding law and security in the post-9/11 era, and to examine the extent to which those concepts influence policy, practice and discourse.

To complete this course students must enrol in LAWHONS 746 A and B

Law of Restitution

A study of the law of just restitution, including its general principles, the concept of unjust enrichment, and the relationship of the subject with other areas of law, including the law of property, contract law, and the law of tort. Consideration is also given to selected areas of practical application, such as the reversal of transfers for mistake, impaired judgement, duress and failure of conditions, and profiting from wrongs.

To complete this course students must enrol in LAWHONS 747 A and B

Special Topic: International Taxation

Tests of residence for individuals and corporations. The wider tax base for off-shore income of New Zealand residents. Income derived by overseas residents from New Zealand activities. The Double Tax Treaty System. Selecting the country of residence. Anti-avoidance measures directed at transnational activity. The use of tax havens. As well as New Zealand taxation law, the course also examines the municipal revenue law of some of our trading partners. Involves individual research resulting in a substantial individual research essay.

To complete this course students must enrol in LAWHONS 748 A and B

Special Topic: Global Environmental Law

Examines environmental law and governance from the international, regional and national levels. The global coverage includes international environmental law and draws on experiences from the European Union, United States, Canada, South America, Australia and New Zealand. The topics include state sovereignty, the UN system, principles and sources of international environmental law, climate change, biodiversity, human rights and current developments in global and domestic environmental governance.

To complete this course students must enrol in LAWHONS 749 A and B

Special Topic: Tax Law and Policy

Covers tax law and policy generally including: theoretical aspects of tax system design; New Zealand’s system of income tax and GST; problems such as tax avoidance and the taxation of large, heavily digitalized multinational enterprises; and possibilities for reform such as capital gains tax and death duties.

Corequisite: LAWCOMM 403

To complete this course students must enrol in LAWHONS 750 A and B

Special Topic: International Peace and Security

Covers the principal schools of political thought on the place of private law in modern society, including libertarian, Marxist, egalitarian, and neo-liberal theories. Discusses the political stakes involved in structuring and regulating private transactions. Evaluates the appropriateness of different modalities of generating private law, including traditional adjudication, democratic legislation, and the work of private legislatures.

Restriction: LAWCOMM 465

To complete this course students must enrol in LAWHONS 751 A and B

Special Topic: Complex Litigation

The rise of globalisation and technology has created complex litigation challenges for victims of mass harms. This course examines comparative theoretical, ideological and economic policies which underpin complex litigation systems with a particular focus on the use of regulatory actions, class actions and litigation funding entities. It also examines major procedural and substantive issues that arise in complex civil litigation.

Restriction: LAWGENRL 406, 457

To complete this course students must enrol in LAWHONS 752 A and B

Special Topic: Restorative and Therapeutic Justice

To complete this course students must enrol in LAWHONS 753 A and B

Special Topic: Regulation of International Trade

To complete this course students must enrol in LAWHONS 754 A and B

Mātauranga Māori and Taonga

A study of Indigenous intellectual property and cultural property. Considers how Māori and the Crown may address the Crown’s breaches of its guarantee in Te Tiriti o Waitangi 1840 to allow Māori to exercise tino rangatiratanga (the unqualified exercise of chieftainship) over mātauranga Māori (the body of knowledge originating from Māori ancestors) and taonga (tangible and intangible treasures).

Restriction: LAWPUBL 468

To complete this course students must enrol in LAWHONS 755 A and B

Legal and Political Theory

An exploration of how agents, institutions and practices can affect people’s normative situation; the nature of legal argumentation and adjudication; the relation of legality to the use of organised force; the individual’s moral rights and duties that obtain because of the law; the individual’s moral rights against their government; the justification of political authority and the character of political obligation.

Corequisite: LAW 316

To complete this course students must enrol in LAWHONS 756 A and B

Dissertation - Level 9

A dissertation of approximately 15,000 words resulting from original research of the student, having the scope, and depth of research, of a competent law review article. The topic of the dissertation needs the approval of the Dean of Faculty of Law.

Restriction: LAW 789