New Zealand

Force majeure and the doctrine of frustration in the COVID-19 world: drafting suitable force majeure provisions

Considers the operation of the doctrine of frustration and force majeure provisions in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The paper aims to provide an overview of how these two concepts interrelate and identifies some practical limitations surrounding their application to non-performance caused by the pandemic.

Good time for good faith? Exploring the role of a duty to act in good faith in construction contracts

Recommended for Publication Society of Construction Law New Zealand 2020 Essay Prize Winner

Defines good faith and discusses the benefits and disadvantages of explicitly incorporating good faith in contracts, outlining the case for and against expanding its use and its relationship to time bars, and recommends some practical ways in which it can encouraged in NZ. A thought-provoking discussion, particularly in the context of the Construction Sector Accord.

Builder Beware?

Recommended for Publication  Society of Construction Law New Zealand 2019 Essay Prize Winner

This paper explores whether New Zealand courts and Construction Contracts Act adjudicators can and/or should recognise an implied warranty of buildability in construction contracts.

Do international concerns with the rule against implied warranties of buildability warrant a change in approach for New Zealand?