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AUCKLAND, 15 August 2024 – Treaty Law: Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi in Law and Practice named Best Legal Book at the Legal Research Foundation’s JF Northey Memorial Book Award
The award-winning book Treaty Law came in response to one simple question – “What’s the leading textbook on Treaty principles’ jurisprudence?” – posed by author Kevin Hille to Damen Ward soon after arriving from Canada and starting at Crown Law.
Despite many books and articles about the Treaty existing, as well as government and Waitangi Tribunal reports, there was no textbook bringing together Treaty jurisprudence more broadly. So, the authoring team set out to create just that with Treaty Law: Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi in Law and Practice. With research funding support from New Zealand Law Foundation, over 600 judicial decisions were analysed, assessed, aggregated and organised, cutting across all manner of legal subject areas, from animal law and bankruptcy and insolvency to trusts and water law and, to the extent possible, synthesising the interpretation and application in one text.
Commissioned in 2019, the publication of Treaty Law and its well-deserved recognition by the Legal Research Foundation has come at a time where knowledge and understanding of how the principles of the Treaty are applied in context could not be more important.
Kevin Stokes, Senior Director, AEM Print, Thomson Reuters Asia & Emerging Markets, said: “On behalf of Thomson Reuters New Zealand, I congratulate Kevin, Carwyn and Damen on this well-deserved win.
By awarding the Northey Prize to Treaty Law: Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi in Law and Practice, the Legal Research Foundation has paid a fitting tribute to a truly stand-out contribution to understanding and interpreting Treaty of Waitangi 184 years after its signing. We are exceptionally proud to be the publisher of such a prestigious and important book. Not only is this a win for the author team, but also for Thomson Reuters’ broader author community and our team of dedicated publishing professionals.”
Accolades from the adjudicators:
“It is a well-researched and well-presented exposition of the development of treaty jurisprudence and case law over the last 40 years. There has been nothing like it before. It is founded on extensive research and in-depth analysis of the case law from all relevant fora. It provides a correct and indispensable point of reference for
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students, teachers, and practitioners of law. Those with a particular interest in this area as well as those with less familiarity will find their knowledge much improved from reading it.”
“This book is also essential reading for those who seek to debate the place of Te Tiriti and its principles. For that to be done sensibly and effectively we first need to correctly understand their place in our current law. This book greatly assists here.”
“Put shortly, this book is a game changer for all who have an interest in Aotearoa New Zealand’s constitutional health.”
The history of Thomson Reuters at the JF Northey Book Award
Thomson Reuters New Zealand has had an outstanding run of nominations and victories in the Northey Prize spanning more than a decade and is the only commercial publisher to feature consistently in the finalist category. The following is a summary of previous Thomson Reuters New Zealand highlights:
• 2021 – Joseph on Constitutional and Administrative Law by Philip A Joseph
• 2019 – The Native/Māori Land Court Volume 3, 1910-1953: Collectivism, Land Development and the Law by Richard Boast
• 2018 – Sale of Goods in New Zealand by Nicholas Wood
• 2017 – Competition Law in New Zealand by Chris Noonan; Special Prize: International Human Rights Law in Aotearoa New Zealand by Margaret Bedggood, Kris Gledhill and Ian McIntosh (General Editors).
• 2016 – Special mention: The Law of Torts in New Zealand by Stephen Todd (General Editor).
• 2015 – International and Cross-Border Taxation by Professor Craig Elliffe (winner); finalists Health Law in New Zealand by Peter Skegg and Ron Paterson (General Editors); The Native Land Court Volume 2 by Richard Boast.
• 2014 – Finalists: Constitutional and Administrative Law in New Zealand by Philip A Joseph; Colinvaux’s Law of Insurance in New Zealand by Robert Merkin and Associate Professor Chris Nicoll.
• 2013 – The Native Land Court Volume 1 by Richard Boast (co-winner); Account of Profits by Peter Devonshire (co-winner).
Author Biographies
Kevin Hille JD (Osgoode), BA (Toronto)
Kevin Hille is an Indigenous rights lawyer and partner at the Canadian law firm Olthuis Kleer Townshend LLP. He previously worked as counsel for the Treaty of Waitangi Team at the Crown Law Office, New Zealand, where he regularly appeared before the Waitangi Tribunal.
Carwyn Jones LLB, BA (Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington), MA (York), Phd (Victoria)
Carwyn Jones (Ngāti Kahungunu) is Kaihautū of Te Whare Whakatupu Mātauranga and teaches in the Ahunga Tikanga (Māori Laws and Philosophy) programme at Te Wānanga o Raukawa. He is an Honorary Adjunct Professor in Te Kawa a Māui (the School of Māori Studies) at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington.
Damen Ward BA (Hons), LLB (Hons) (Otago), DPhil (Oxford)
Damen Ward is a Senior Crown Counsel in the Treaty of Waitangi Team at the Crown Law Office, New Zealand. He has been counsel in a wide range of Crown-Māori matters in the High Court, the appellate courts, and before the Waitangi Tribunal.
Further information
• For more details about the JF Northey Memorial Book Award:
http://www.legalresearch.org.nz/writing-awards.aspx
• To learn more or purchase the book: https://store.thomsonreuters.co.nz/treaty-law-principles-of the-treaty-of-waitangi-in-law-and-practice/productdetail/129542
• For any media enquiries, please contact Brooke Heywood, Corporate Affairs Manager, Thomson Reuters Asia and Emerging Markets by email on brooke.heywood@thomsonreuters.com • For any further questions, please contact Renay Taylor, Senior Publisher, Thomson Reuters New Zealand by email on renay.taylor@thomsonreuters.com
