Latest fromLegal Services

Lawyers: Heroes or villains?
The untimely death of top lawyer Greg King has focused attention on one of society's most unpopular jobs. Jared Savage examines the case for the defence.

Tougher bail laws to cover teens
A bill tightening bail laws for killers and repeat offenders is being toughened by making it harder for 18- and 19-year-olds to avoid custody.

Hart edges closer to bankruptcy
Embattled criminal lawyer Barry Hart is now facing bankruptcy and is being forced from of his last property following a failed bid for damages from ANZ.

Hart fights to retain last properties
Despite being struck-off, embattled lawyer Barry Hart was back at the Auckland High Court today - this time fighting to keep the last of his rural properties from being sold by the bank.

Dotcom plea: Leak the truth
Kim Dotcom has issued a call for whistleblowers to leak information about his case to the media in the wake of spy and police blunders.

US judge rejects Dotcom appeal
A United States judge has allowed the case against Megaupload to proceed after throwing out an appeal from its founder Kim Doctom.

PM insists he knew nothing of Dotcom
John Key insists he knew nothing about Kim Dotcom before this year, as new evidence reveals his office was told about Dotcom's bid to buy a Coatesville mansion last July.

Dotcom explanation won't wash: experts
John Key's explanation of how the illegal spying on Kim Dotcom occurred is wrong in law and could not have happened the way he describes, legal experts say.

No Hallwright sentence appeal
The Solicitor-General has decided not to appeal the non-custodial sentence of financial analyst Guy Hallwright, despite saying it was "undoubtedly lenient".

John Armstrong: An apology that could easily backfire
Paul Neazor's report on the unlawful bugging of Kim Dotcom is not so much a whitewash as washed out, writes John Armstrong

Dotcom: I accept your apology
Kim Dotcom has accepted Prime Minister John Key's apology for the GCSB's unlawful spying but has added his voice to calls for an independent inquiry into the fiasco.

PM apologises to Dotcom
Prime Minister John Key says he apologises to Kim Dotcom for what he has described as "basic errors" by the Government Communications and Security Bureau.

Civil liberties at stake: Lawyer
Illegal spying on Kim Dotcom means the internet tycoon's battle against US attempts to extradite him has become a civil liberties issue, his US lawyer says.

Hart launches fresh bid to save career
Disgraced lawyer Barry Hart has launched a fresh bid to continue his 46-year career - as it emerged his fleet of luxury cars had been seized by debt collectors.

Hallwright: 'I'm going to have a break'
Auckland market analyst Guy Hallwright, who ran down a man in a road rage incident two years ago, is no longer with investment firm Forsyth Barr.

Barry Hart to appeal striking off
Disgraced lawyer Barry Hart is taking legal action in the hope he can stop authorities ending his 46-year career.

Fatal flaws in our bail laws
A violent gang member was free to kill despite committing crimes while on bail for five consecutive years.

Rare legal move on hit-run
Crown looks at possible appeal over judge's 'joke' sentence.

Hart overcharged earlier client
The high-flying lawyer had been censured seven times for unsatisfactory conduct over a 30-year period.