UC Law

We had a fantastic session in LAWS303 Advanced Employment Law this week. A huge thank‑you to Dr Sorcha MacLeod from the University of Copenhagen, who joined us to talk about the recruitment and employment of mercenaries.

Our students were absolutely captivated. It’s not every day you get to dive into such a complex and timely topic with a leading expert. We’re so grateful for her insights and the lively discussion that followed.

So proud of Chunyu Han (Amy) for passing her PhD oral examination on 19 June. Her research on employment law and domestic violence in New Zealand is so important. Big congratulations to Amy and to her supervisors, Annick Masselot, Cassandra Mudgway and Ruth Ballantyne.

UC Law Professor Annick Masselot was delighted to attend the Anderson Lloyd Prizes ceremony celebrating outstanding achievement in Contract Law and Land Law. Congratulations to Emma McCusker, awarded best student in Contract Law, and Hannah Selby, awarded best student in Land Law. A fabulous achievement by both students, well deserved.

The LEAD Institute at UC Law has been delighted to host visiting researcher Theresia Hebestreit from Ruhr-Universität Bochum (Germany) at the University of Canterbury.

Theresia is currently undertaking PhD research on the important topic of “Conflicting legal competences for the warning of the population in times of crisis.” Her work explores the intersection of constitutional law, telecommunications law, and disaster control law, examining how overlapping federal and state powers in Germany can create legal uncertainty and inefficiencies in emergency warning systems.

Her research seeks to identify more coordinated legal and technical approaches to public warnings during disasters and emergencies.

New Zealand provides a particularly valuable perspective for this comparative study. With our unique hazard landscape and extensive experience in disaster response and public warning systems, New Zealand offers important insights into how governance structures shape emergency management outcomes.

Theresia is especially interested in comparing Germany’s federal system with New Zealand’s more centralised approach to understand how different legal and institutional frameworks affect disaster preparedness and response.

Reflecting on her time at UC, Theresia shared:

“What particularly appealed to me about UC, and especially the LEAD Institute, was the opportunity to work with a group of people for whom disaster law is not just a peripheral field but the core of their research, and who are therefore recognized experts in this area of the law.”

We have greatly enjoyed hosting Theresia and look forward to seeing the continued impact of her research in this critical and rapidly evolving field.

So much great energy from the University of Canterbury Law students at Club Day — love seeing everyone getting involved and bringing the vibe! 🙌 😍😍😍

What an amazing LSAANZ 2025 Conference! The UC Faculty of Law was thrilled to welcome so many generous, insightful, and inspiring scholars from across Aotearoa and around the world to share their perspectives on law and society.
We’re incredibly grateful for our ongoing partnership with Ngāi Tuāhūriri. Huge thanks to Prof. Elizabeth McPherson for her fantastic leadership in bringing the event together, and to Dr Marc Hanna, Claire Burgess, and Victoria Enriquez for all their hard work—along with the whole organising team (Marozane Spamers, Toni Collins, Cassandra Mudgway, John Hopkins, Natalie Baird, Annick Masselot and Sascha Muller) and to the many Postgraduate researchers who worked hard to make this conference a sucess.
A big shoutout to Marozane Spamers for hosting a brilliant ECR morning, with thought-provoking contributions from Erin Matariki Carr, Jan Hania, and Marc Trabsky on methodology and ethics; and from Cristy Clark, Rachel Killean, Nicole Graham, and Julia Dehm on research impact.
Our first keynote panel—Professor Anne Poelina and Gerard Albert, beautifully chaired by Dr Erin O'Donnell—opened up powerful kōrero on relationality and reciprocity. The second keynote panel, chaired by Dr Cristy Clark and featuring Professor Keakaokawai Varner Hemi, Dr Sereana Naepi, and Dr Julia Dehm, offered a deep and inspiring discussion about rights, resilience, and transforming our universities to better reflect and support our diverse communities.
What an incredible way to close out the year. Feeling energised, grateful, and inspired for what’s ahead! 🌿✨

UC Law was honoured to host the Indigenous Judges Tour in Christchurch! 🌿⚖️

We were privileged to welcome three remarkable jurists — Justice Michelle O’Bonsawin (Supreme Court of Canada), Justice Johanna Price (King’s Bench of Alberta), and Judge Peggy Bird (former Chief Judge, Pueblo of Pojoaque Tribal Court).

They shared powerful stories about their journeys to the bench and unique insights into Indigenous approaches to justice with our law students, academics, and members of the local legal community.

An inspiring and thought-provoking event for everyone who attended! 💬✨