Watchdog hits name snag

Press, 28 July 1989, Page 6

Watchdog hits name snag

By RICHARD CRESSWELL A watchdog group planning to keep a close eye on lawyers is having trouble registering its name, because it has to get the Law Society’s consent. A spokesman for the as yet unregistered New Zealand Law Victims’ Society, Inc., Mr Bill Bradley, of Darfield, said the group had been formed in December and had about 40 members. The New Zealand Law Society would not let it use its chosen name. “The name New Zealand Victims’ Society Incorporated had been accepted by the registrar of incorporated societies in Wellington, subject to the consent of the New Zealand Law Society, he said. “But the Law Society refused to give consent for .the name to be used.” He said there was no confusing the two names. The Victims’ Society was the opposite of the Law Society. The Law Society disagrees. An amendment dropping New Zealand from the name of the Law Victims’ Society, Inc, was again approved by the registrar pending Law Society approval. _ Mr Bradley said he had yet to write to the Law Society, seeking permission for the latest version. The society told him it had rejected the first version because its decision had been governed by the Incorporated Societies Act, among other reasons. _