Take 400 judicial officers from 57 different jurisdictions, give them six days of discussion mixed with a liberal sprinkling of sightseeing, including a reception at Government House, and the result?  A highly successful, dynamic conference.

This was the first Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges Association Conference  (CMJA) to be held in New Zealand, and we were delighted to share the privilege of being its sponsor with The Ministry of Justice (MoJ).  In doing so we were both exclusive: the MoJ as government sponsor and us as corporate sponsor.

[caption id="attachment_7353" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Delegates, CMJA Conference at Govt. House[/caption]

The programme*, drawn together under the conference theme ; “Independent Judiciaries, Diverse Societies” fittingly included as the Rt. Hon. Dame Sian Elias noted: “… a suite of topics presented by distinguished presenters from diverse backgrounds.”

[caption id="attachment_7359" align="aligncenter" width="540"] Rt. Hon. Dame Sian Elias, Chief Justice NZ, welcomes delegates to Govt. House[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_7333" align="aligncenter" width="540"] CMJA delegates at reception Govt. House, Wellington[/caption]

Delegates picked their way through a smorgasbord of offerings ranging from the opening keynote speech by Chief Wilton Littlechild (Commissioner, Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Canada) entitled “Can we get there? Reconciliation and Canada’s Indigenous Past”, to regional as well as breakout sessions on, for example, “Writing judgments and delivering ex tempore judgments”.

Our stand was very popular in the breaks between sessions.  For many attendees this was the first opportunity they'd ever had to actually see what Thomson Reuters had to offer. Our products were eagerly examined and many books were bought.  Aptly the title we sold most of was: The Supreme Court of New Zealand  2004-2014.

* Click to review the conference programme

More about the Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges Association (CMJA)

We are not, as we are sometimes seen, mere custodians of a body of arid prescriptive rules but are, with others, the guardians of an all but sacred flame which animates and enlightens the society in which we live.”
The Rt Hon. Lord Bingham of Cornhill

Please visit: www.cmja.org

To view the website set up for delegates about the Wellington conference please visit: http://cmja.biz/

View the welcome message from Rt. Hon. Dame Sian Elias Chief Justice

Photo credit

Thanks to Government House for permission to use photos on their facebook page of the reception hosted there by Dame Sian Elias.