Jurisdiction
New Zealand
New Zealand practising lawyers and work in New Zealand courts and tribunals Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006 and the Conduct and Client Care Rules 2008 Courts of New Zealand generative-AI guidelines for lawyers (7 December 2023) and the courts and tribunals listed in those guidelines New Zealand Law Society generative-AI guidance (March 2024) Privacy Act 2020 and the Privacy Commissioner's AI guidance Trust-account rules and AML/CFT duties for lawyers who are reporting entities Courts of New Zealand guidelines for judges, judicial officers and support staff, and the separate guidelines for non-lawyers (7 December 2023). New Zealand Law Society AI Hub, including the AI-use checklist and the profession-wide AI research project. Office of the Privacy Commissioner guidance that all 13 Information Privacy Principles apply to AI tools. New Zealand Public Service AI Framework.
Lawyers are regulated under the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006. The New Zealand Law Society Te Kāhui Ture o Aotearoa runs practising certificates, the Lawyers Complaints Service and the trust-account Inspectorate. Conduct standards: the Conduct and Client Care Rules 2008. Section 4 sets fundamental duties, including upholding the rule of law and protecting client interests. No statute regulates generative AI generally. For court and tribunal work, start with the Courts of New Zealand lawyer guidelines (7 December 2023). You must not mislead the court, and you must check information, including citations, before you use it. The Law Society's March 2024 guidance: you remain responsible for work a tool produces. Misuse can breach rr 3, 10.9 and 13.1; poor supervision rr 11 and 11.1; client material in a public tool Chapter 8. The Privacy Act 2020 applies to agencies using AI. The Privacy Commissioner expects a privacy impact assessment, human review, and no personal input unless the provider will not retain or disclose it. IPP 3A has applied since 1 May 2026.
Choose a practice area AI practice notes by Australian court AI rules tracker by Australian court and body
Court AI rule changes + new tools, monthly
One email a month when a court changes its AI practice note or a tool is added to the catalogue. Your address is kept for that note. See Privacy.
Related jurisdictions
AI instruments
CourtsRegulatorsLaw societies and barsPrivacy regulatorsGovernmentOther instrumentsAI practice notes by Australian court Practice areas
Courts
| Instrument | Issuer | Date on page | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guidelines for judges, judicial officers, tribunal members and support staff on generative AIDB already holds the lawyers set; this adds the judiciary and non-lawyer sets. | Courts of New Zealand | issued (one of three final sets) · Effective 2023-12-07 | Final guidelines for the judiciary, issued with separate sets for lawyers and non-lawyers after consultation. | Courts of New Zealand |
| Guidelines for non-lawyers on generative AI in courts and tribunalsFetched via Jus Mundi copy; link the courtsofnz.govt.nz page as primary. | Courts of New Zealand | issued · Effective 2023-12-07 | Guidance for self-represented litigants and other non-lawyers. | Courts of New Zealand |
| Guidelines for use of generative AI in courts and tribunals – lawyers | Courts of New Zealand | 2023-12-07 | Judiciary guidelines for lawyers using GenAI in court and tribunal work: lawyers remain responsible for accuracy, confidentiality and citations.
| Courts of New Zealand |
Regulators
| Instrument | Issuer | Date on page | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artificial intelligence and the Information Privacy Principles | Office of the Privacy Commissioner (NZ) | updated guidance (builds on May 2023 generative AI guidance) | All 13 IPPs apply to developing and using AI tools in NZ, including tools supplied by overseas organisations; OPC recommends a privacy impact assessment.
| Office of the Privacy Commissioner (NZ) |
Law societies and bars
| Instrument | Issuer | Date on page | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI Hub (guidance, AI-use checklist, case rulings) | New Zealand Law Society | live resource | Curated AI resources: Law Society generative AI guidance, a checklist from exploration/procurement to use, and court rulings on lawyers' responsibility for AI material. | New Zealand Law Society |
| Generative AI guidance for lawyers | New Zealand Law Society | 2023-06-15 | NZLS guidance on what GenAI is and the professional risks lawyers must manage; draws on the Law Society of England and Wales guidance.
| New Zealand Law Society |
| Lawyers are responsible for the contents of court documents prepared using Generative AI | New Zealand Law Society | Not stated | NZLS statement that lawyers are responsible for court documents prepared with GenAI and firms need clear AI policies and quality assurance.
| New Zealand Law Society |
Privacy regulators
| Instrument | Issuer | Date on page | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Generative Artificial Intelligence – expectations for agencies | Office of the Privacy Commissioner (NZ) | Not stated | Privacy Commissioner expectations for agencies (including law firms) using generative AI tools under the Privacy Act 2020.
| Office of the Privacy Commissioner (NZ) |
Government
| Instrument | Issuer | Date on page | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Service AI Framework | NZ Government (GCDO / digital.govt.nz) | not stated on page read | Framework for responsible AI use across the NZ public service. | NZ Government (GCDO / digital.govt.nz) |
Other instruments
| Instrument | Issuer | Date on page | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Profession-wide AI research project and survey | New Zealand Law Society | reported by LexisNexis NZ | Survey of how NZ lawyers use AI, prompted in part by a fabricated AI-cited case the Law Society library could not find. | New Zealand Law Society |
Every stored instrument
This is the catalogue for New Zealand. An instrument appears under “Rules that apply” only when you name the court or tribunal, or say that no court is involved.
| Instrument | Issuer | Date on page | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guidelines for judges, judicial officers, tribunal members and support staff on generative AIDB already holds the lawyers set; this adds the judiciary and non-lawyer sets. | Courts of New Zealand | issued (one of three final sets) · Effective 2023-12-07 | Final guidelines for the judiciary, issued with separate sets for lawyers and non-lawyers after consultation. | Courts of New Zealand |
| Guidelines for non-lawyers on generative AI in courts and tribunalsFetched via Jus Mundi copy; link the courtsofnz.govt.nz page as primary. | Courts of New Zealand | issued · Effective 2023-12-07 | Guidance for self-represented litigants and other non-lawyers. | Courts of New Zealand |
| AI Hub (guidance, AI-use checklist, case rulings) | New Zealand Law Society | live resource | Curated AI resources: Law Society generative AI guidance, a checklist from exploration/procurement to use, and court rulings on lawyers' responsibility for AI material. | New Zealand Law Society |
| Profession-wide AI research project and survey | New Zealand Law Society | reported by LexisNexis NZ | Survey of how NZ lawyers use AI, prompted in part by a fabricated AI-cited case the Law Society library could not find. | New Zealand Law Society |
| Artificial intelligence and the Information Privacy Principles | Office of the Privacy Commissioner (NZ) | updated guidance (builds on May 2023 generative AI guidance) | All 13 IPPs apply to developing and using AI tools in NZ, including tools supplied by overseas organisations; OPC recommends a privacy impact assessment.
| Office of the Privacy Commissioner (NZ) |
| Public Service AI Framework | NZ Government (GCDO / digital.govt.nz) | not stated on page read | Framework for responsible AI use across the NZ public service. | NZ Government (GCDO / digital.govt.nz) |
| Guidelines for use of generative AI in courts and tribunals – lawyers | Courts of New Zealand | 2023-12-07 | Judiciary guidelines for lawyers using GenAI in court and tribunal work: lawyers remain responsible for accuracy, confidentiality and citations.
| Courts of New Zealand |
| Generative AI guidance for lawyers | New Zealand Law Society | 2023-06-15 | NZLS guidance on what GenAI is and the professional risks lawyers must manage; draws on the Law Society of England and Wales guidance.
| New Zealand Law Society |
| Lawyers are responsible for the contents of court documents prepared using Generative AI | New Zealand Law Society | Not stated | NZLS statement that lawyers are responsible for court documents prepared with GenAI and firms need clear AI policies and quality assurance.
| New Zealand Law Society |
| Generative Artificial Intelligence – expectations for agencies | Office of the Privacy Commissioner (NZ) | Not stated | Privacy Commissioner expectations for agencies (including law firms) using generative AI tools under the Privacy Act 2020.
| Office of the Privacy Commissioner (NZ) |
Before the work starts
| Topic | Guidance |
|---|---|
| Define the matter | Confirm the client’s instructions, jurisdiction, intended output and the information available before dividing the work. |
| Verify the authorities | Open each relied-on authority independently. Confirm its existence, current status, proposition and any quotation or pinpoint reference. |
| Preserve the witness’s evidence | Confirm each factual assertion with the witness and original record. Preserve the witness’s own knowledge and words, and check the court’s rules for this document. |
| Jurisdiction | Apply this guidance to the actual matter and jurisdiction. Confirm current requirements before relying on an example. |
| What to open first |
|
| Court and tribunal AI rules |
|
| Professional-conduct rules |
|
| Privacy and confidentiality |
|
| Review checklist |
|
| Regulator and Law Society guidance |
|
| Firm obligations that sit beside the file |
|
Checks to carry into the matter
- Confirm that the actual tool, feature and processing terms permit use of this information, including access, retention, training and disclosure conditions.
- Verify the applicable jurisdiction and the version of each relevant law, rule or instrument in force at the material time.
- Resolve exceptions and record the responsible lawyer’s approval of the exact output and intended use.
Limits on AI assistance
- Confirm firm, client and applicable court or professional restrictions before using any AI feature.
What changes in New Zealand
| Practice area | What changes here | Open |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution | Confirm the forum is listed in the 7 December 2023 guidelines Verify every citation Do not apply an Australian AI practice note Disclose AI use only if the court asks | Open |
| Residential Conveyancing & Property | Certify yourself: you are personally responsible under s 27 of the Land Transfer Act 2017 Confirm s 30 evidence is held Do not treat the checklist as the certification | Open |
| Commercial Property & Leasing | Follow LINZ certify-and-sign requirements and s 27 of the Land Transfer Act 2017 Check that a sole practitioner has linked an attorney to Landonline in case of incapacity | Open |
| Construction & Infrastructure | Prepare the claim under the Construction Contracts Act 2002 Do not use a NSW claim form or an East Coast SOP due date Check retention money: the rules from 5 October 2023 do not apply to homeowner contracts | Open |
| Employment & Workplace Relations | Run the grievance under the Employment Relations Act 2000, starting with mediation Confirm the path: the Authority, then challenge to the Employment Court Do not use Form F2 or the Fair Work high-income threshold | Open |
| Family Law | Draft under the Care of Children Act 2004 for the Family Court Remove 'parental responsibility', live-with/spend-time labels and FCFCOA forms Keep children's locations out of public tools | Open |
| Personal Injury & Compensation | Check ACC cover first Do not plead compensatory damages for a covered injury: ss 317 and 319 generally bar it Do not open a NSW PIC or Victorian TAC file | Open |
| Privacy, Data Protection & Cyber | Map duties to the Privacy Act 2020 IPPs, not APP numbers Include IPP 3A (indirect collection), in force since 1 May 2026 Complete a privacy impact assessment before any generative-AI use | Open |
| Commercial & Corporate Advisory | Open the Companies Act 1993 for director-duty and related-party questions Do not cite s 180, s 588G, s 674 or an ASIC regulatory guide | Open |
| Banking & Finance | Register under the Personal Property Securities Act 1999 on the New Zealand PPSR Do not apply Australian PMSI timing Confirm grantor details with the Companies Office, not an ACN | Open |
| Capital Markets & Securities — ECM/DCM and Disclosure | Apply the FMCA and NZX rules to continuous disclosure Apply ASX Listing Rules only if the issuer is dual-listed and you have opened them separately | Open |
| Mergers & Acquisitions / Private Equity | Confirm clearance is voluntary, but the Commission can act if it is not sought Apply the substantial-lessening-of-competition test Do not use ACCC thresholds or the 1 January 2026 Australian start date | Open |
| Insolvency, Restructuring & Bankruptcy | Use the Companies Act 1993 and High Court Rules Do not use Form 509H or the 21-day s 459G period Confirm the current demand form and setting-aside period in the Act | Open |
| Class Actions / Representative Proceedings | Treat it as a representative proceeding under the High Court Rules 2016; there is no s 33V Open the current Rules and orders already made Treat Law Commission work as reform only | Open |
| Financial Services Regulation | Map licensing to the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013 and the FMA Do not use an AFSL, Australian responsible-manager proof or ASIC Form FS01 | Open |
| Competition & Consumer Law | Apply voluntary clearance and the substantial-lessening-of-competition test Do not apply the Australian 'void acquisition' rule unless a New Zealand provision says so | Open |
| Immigration & Migration Law | Open the Immigration Act 2009 and current INZ instructions Do not use subclass 189, 482 or 866, or an Australian points table | Open |
| Administrative & Public Law | Do not use the ART Identify the tribunal the Act names (IPT, Taxation Review Authority and others) Otherwise use High Court judicial review Use the Official Information Act 1982 for official information | Open |
| Planning & Environment | Apply the Resource Management Act 1991 to planning questions Confirm appeals go to the Environment Court Do not use an LEP, a VPP or an EPBC referral as the New Zealand path | Open |
| Strata & Community Titles | Apply the Unit Titles Act 2010; MBIE is the regulator Do not apply a NSW strata Act, Victorian owners-corporation Act or Queensland module | Open |
| Climate, ESG & Sustainability Reporting | Apply Part 7A FMCA and XRB standards for years from 1 January 2023 Check GHG assurance for years ending on or after 27 October 2024 Accept AASB S2 only under an FMA exemption | Open |
| Government Procurement & Tendering | Open the current Government Procurement Rules; a 'must' Rule is compulsory Do not apply the Commonwealth Procurement Rules Apply the Construction Contracts Act 2002 as well | Open |
| Superannuation | Open the KiwiSaver Act 2006 and the scheme rules Do not draft an SIS Act binding nomination or Australian BDBN | Open |
| Wills, Estates, Probate & Succession | Apply the Wills Act 2007; most new powers do not reach wills made before 1 November 2007 Check whether marriage or civil union revoked a will not made in contemplation of it Check for Family Protection Act and Property (Relationships) Act claims | Open |
| Trust accounting & handling client money | Apply LCA 2006 ss 110–116 and the 2008 Trust Account Regulations Confirm no barrister operates a trust account Do not apply a state rule or IOLTA Sign the reconciliation yourself; a generated one is not the signed position | Open |
| Confidentiality & client information | Follow the court guidelines and Chapter 8: generally nothing that is not public Check IPP 12 for overseas processing Consider client consent Test with fictional data | Open |
| Client-facing & access-to-justice AI tools | Accept that you remain responsible for the service Say in client-care information who does the work and how Complete a privacy impact assessment; do not test with client data Require human review before acting | Open |
| Incoming evidence — deepfakes & synthetic documents | Treat generated multimedia as possibly fake, as the court guidelines warn Decide authenticity yourself, with an expert if needed Keep evidence out of public tools | Open |
| AI decision systems | Confirm leadership approval and a privacy impact assessment Engage with Māori where taonga information is affected Require human review; apply IPPs 8 and 10 Do not apply an Australian ADM Bill | Open |
| Costs, billing & litigation funding | Apply Chapters 3 and 9 of the Rules, including the reasonable-fee factors Decide whether time-and-attendance still fits if a tool does the work Tell the client where appropriate | Open |
| Arbitration & Alternative Dispute Resolution | Apply Schedule 1 of the Arbitration Act 1996 Check Schedule 2: opt-in for international, opt-out for other NZ-seat arbitrations Do not use Australian Act defaults Check each article number | Open |
| Energy, Resources & Mining | Search NZP&M permits under the Crown Minerals Act 1991 Do not search a state tenement register, Native Title Vision or EPBC history Check NZP&M law changes if the file involves petroleum or decommissioning | Open |
| Franchising & Distribution | Do not prepare a statutory disclosure document; a 2009 review rejected franchise-specific rules Apply the Fair Trading Act 1986 and the Commission's unconscionable-conduct page | Open |
| Maritime, Shipping & Transport | Apply s 209 of the Maritime Transport Act 1994: Amended Hague Rules (Schedule 5) Do not apply Australian COGSA or the repealed 1979 Act Check the time bar | Open |
Related tasks
Commercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution: Check a New Zealand court document against the Courts of New Zealand lawyer guidelinesCommercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution: Check legislation citations against legislation.govt.nzCommercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution: Decide whether non-public, suppressed or privileged material can go into a toolCommercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution: Keep affidavits in the witness's own wordsCommercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution: Prepare written submissions so every authority can be openedResidential Conveyancing & Property: Prepare a Landonline certify-and-sign checklist