Worksafe Update Webinar (1.5 hrs CPD)

Her Honour, Judge Jan-Marie Doogue, was appointed the Chief District Court Judge of New Zealand in September 2011. She leads a bench of more than 170 judges in what is Australasia's biggest court. She has been a District Court Judge since 1994, firstly in the Family Court, extending to the criminal jurisdiction with a jury trial warrant in 2007. Previously she had been a barrister sole for nine years after practising law in Auckland since 1980. Originally from Christchurch, she gained her LLB from Auckland University, and acquired a Diploma in Mediation from Bond University, Queensland in 1994.

Since her appointment to the bench, Judge Doogue has pursued innovative approaches to judicial administration and courts reform, including the efficient and fair operation of the summary criminal courts.

Sue Petricevic is the Principal Legal Advisor, Litigation, at WorkSafe New Zealand, where she oversees prosecutions under the Act.  In addtion to having been a Crown Prosecutor, she was a forensic scientist with ESR and testified as an expert in some of New Zealand's better known trials, including the prosecution of Jules Mikus for the murder of Teresa Cormack 

Fletcher Pilditch is a barrister at Richmond Chambers. He is a former Crown Solicitor for Rotorua and has conducted many jury and judge alone trials, and appeals, including leading some of New Zealand’s most notorious criminal and regulatory cases. Fletcher conducts regulatory/criminal and public law litigation at all levels.  He has expertise in contentious enforcement proceedings in a wide range of criminal and regulatory contexts including workplace health and safety. He regularly assists and provides advice to clients who are subject to investigation by diverse Government agencies including the Serious Fraud Office, and the Commissioner of Police under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009.

Nicholas Chisnall (Nick) specialises in all aspects of criminal law, but has particular expertise in appellate work.  He has appeared many times in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court as lead counsel - on behalf of both defendants and the Crown.  Before joining the bar, he was the Public Defence Service’s General Counsel and oversaw the PDS’s appeal practice.  Before that, he was Crown Counsel at the Crown Law Office, where he undertook appeals on behalf of the Solicitor-General.  Nick has expertise in regulatory prosecutions, including health and safety.  He is an approved legal aid provider.