A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
As a result of prosecuting the case against the Principal at the school where Mr James Parker (known as New Zealand’s worst paedophile) was employed, Gaeline became keenly interested in developing effective tools and a model of practice to assist professional leaders and others in workplaces to detect and safeguard vulnerable persons (such as patients and children) from abuse.
The model draws on her experience in prosecuting and defending professionals who allegedly abused others, along with research on grooming behaviour. The paper was presented at the ANZELA Conference in Brisbane, Australia, in September 2015 and included a segment by Katie Laidlaw from the Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand.
GAELINE PHIPPS
Gaeline has over 25 years of experience representing and advising individuals and organisations.
After graduating from Victoria University, she worked for the Public Service where she gained valuable insight into the state sector.
She then secured a position at Rainey Collins as staff solicitor. Established in 1919 Rainey Collins has a strong reputation for its litigators, including Sir Thaddeus McCarthy, Richard (Dick) Collins and Dr David Collins QC (a past New Zealand Solicitor-General and now High Court Judge).
During Gaeline’s time at Rainey Collins she gained extensive Court experience, primarily in the Insurance, Criminal and Family jurisdictions.
Gaeline became an Associate, then first woman Partner of Rainey Collins. She expanded her litigation experience by appearing before New Zealand’s Court of Appeal and the Privy Council in the United Kingdom. She joined the independent bar in 2000. Her experience provided a solid grounding for the work she now specialises in, that being the field of professional accountability involving cases where the conduct of professional persons is inquired into due to circumstances that arise in their place of work or personal life. She receives instructions to prosecute, defend and provide advice to quasi-judicial bodies.
Seminars and workshops for professional groups on dealing with complaints, conducting robust and fair investigations, compliance with law and ethical requirements, latest cases, recognising risk, systems approaches to harm, how the previous law allowing for physical punishment was applied, preparing a file and asking questions when acting in a judicial capacity, to name but a few of the topics.
Gaeline Phipps has written a monthly column in NZ Doctor magazine for more than 15 years.
Recent and Notable Cases
