to benefit New Zealand
Law Foundation fellowship now worth $125,000
12th June 2009
The New Zealand Law Foundation's prestigious International Research Fellowship, awarded annually, is now worth up to $125,000 (previously $100,000). Applications for this year's fellowship close on 1 September.
The foundation's board decided on the increase at its June meeting as it wanted to maintain the value of the fellowship in the current difficult financial times.
The fellowship was established in 2001 to assist those already in a legal career who want to pursue advanced study in an area of law reform that could benefit New Zealand's legal system or jurisprudence.
Their study should be of such significance that the Government, Law Commission or some similar entity would consider or act upon its results. Its high level of funding is intended to enable recipients to study in depth within New Zealand or overseas.
Applicants need to submit a detailed specification of their proposed research and how it might benefit New Zealand. While the majority of past winners have been academics, the foundation is particularly interested in receiving applications from practising members of the profession.
The inaugural 2002 scholarship was awarded to Otago University Law Professor John Dawson, who investigated legal aspects of compulsory community psychiatric care and published a report on the topic.
The 2003 recipient was Waikato law professor Dr Alexander Gillespie. He used the funding to research and critique the legal principles, policy and science of biodiversity, wildlife and ecosystems within international law. Professor Gillespie published two books on his research results.
Barrister Alex Conte, who at the time was a law lecturer at Canterbury University, was awarded the 2004 fellowship. His 18-month project was entitled A Comparative Study of the Interface between Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights: Lessons for New Zealand and resulted in his book, Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights in New Zealand, published in 2008, which is available on the Law Foundation's website.
The 2005 fellow was Dr Matthew Palmer, whose research investigated how New Zealand's law and constitution should deal with the Treaty of Waitangi. Matthew Palmer's work, The Treaty of Waitangi in New Zealand's Law and Constitution, was published late last year and was recently named New Zealand's best legal book for 2008.
Victoria University reader Dr Geoff McLay received the award in 2006 to examine what happens when government departments, or private charities providing social services, are held liable for failings in the provision of those services.
No award was made in 2007.
Dr Mark Hickford, who works with Crown Law in Wellington, is the 2008 fellow. His research, which began this January, focuses on New Zealand's constitution.
He aims "to contribute to the continuing debate concerning the future of New Zealand's constitution through exploring the deep history in New Zealand of choices between political constitutionalism and legal constitutionalism (the latter placing an emphasis on the courts)".
Planned to take until December 2011, his research will be undertaken in two parts: an historical analysis of the concept of political constitutionalism within New Zealand through the lens of Maori property rights and Crown-Maori relations in respect of natural resources; and a contemporary analysis, resting on and informed by the preceding historical analysis.
Fellowship applicants should ordinarily be resident in New Zealand and plan to remain so after the fellowship period has ended. As a general rule, the study must not already be the direct subject of properly funded research and the fellowship is unlikely to be given to a person who would otherwise be remunerated during its course. It may not be used for post-graduate study.
Applicants must be able to demonstrate academic or practical ability in their chosen field and an ability to carry out the analytical research that would be required for the chosen topic. They need to submit full details of the proposed research, a complete budget, a full CV and appropriate testimonials.
Potential applicants should contact Law Foundation Director Lynda Hagen - tel (04) 499 1038, email lynda@lawfoundation.org.nz - to discuss preliminary ideas before submitting proposals. For more information and an application form, see http://www.lawfoundation.org.nz/awards/.