Katie is an employment law specialist with a wealth of experience advising high profile private and public sector clients. Katie regularly represents clients in litigation including in the Employment Relations Authority and Employment Court. She also has extensive experience in attending mediations and negotiating private settlements.
Katie also works in the health law area, advising clients on health and medical law issues and representing regulatory bodies in the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal.Professional regulation is a particular interest of Katie's, and she has advised a number of statutory bodies in this regard, including outside of the health sector.
Some of Katie's major projects
Providing legal opinions and strategic advice on a wide range of issues in both the employment and health law areas
Assisting employers with disciplinary investigations and advising throughout the disciplinary process
Advising on the management of poor performance
Advising on medical issues such as stress, medical retirement, and health and safety
Providing manager training on a wide range of employment law and HR issues from recruitment to termination
Providing advice regarding managing the relationship between Boards and senior management
Interpreting and applying holidays and parental leave legislation
Auditing payroll systems for legal compliance
Advising on, and implementing, organisational restructuring, including senior management team restructures
Advising on health and safety policy and practical issues
Reviewing and drafting HR policies and procedures and other employment documentation
Advising on the Privacy Act and the Official Information Act
Representing employers and senior employees in various negotiations, including formal mediation
Developing collective bargaining strategies and assisting with the bargaining process
Advising on managing and responding to industrial action taken by employees, including drafting communications and implementing suspensions
Advising on employment arrangements including fixed-term, casual and part-time employment
Providing regulatory advice regarding professional competence and discipline
Assisting clients with the interpretation and application of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003
Advising overseas clients with New Zealand based employees
Interpreting the limits of statutory authority for statutory entities
Memberships and directorships
Editorial Panel Member, Australian Health Law Bulletin
Honorary Fellow, Centre for International Legal Studies
Member, LEADR New Zealand (Association of Dispute Resolvers)
Member, Wellington Medico-Legal Society
Member, Wellington Women Lawyers Association
Lawyer member and privacy expert, Western Hospital Human Research Ethics Committee
Seminars and publications
Elkin K and Studdert D, Restricted Career Paths for Overseas Students Graduating from Australian Medical Schools: Legal and Policy Considerations (The Medical Journal of Australia) - in press
Elkin K, Where Routine Recovery Does Not Follow a Routine Procedure: The Importance of Vigilance (Australian Health Law Bulletin) - 2010 18(1)
Elkin K and Kerr A, The Importance of Keeping Comprehensive Documentation in Ensuring Quality and Continuity of Care (Australian Health Law Bulletin 106) - 2009 17(6)
Cunningham A and Elkin K, The Importance of Acting with Reasonable Care and Skill and Keeping Comprehensive Documentation (Australian Health Law Bulletin 74) - 2009 17(5)
The New Regulation of Non-Consensual Genetic Analysis in New Zealand (Journal of Law and Medicine 246) - 2008 16
The Importance of Incident Reporting in Ensuring Quality Post-Operative Care (Australian Health Law Bulletin 141) - 2008 16(9)
Responding Appropriately to Errors in Patient Care (Australian Health Law Bulletin 109) - 2008 16(7)
Cain G and Elkin K, Computer Forensics in Employment Investigations (NZ Lawyer) - 2008 95
Cain G and Elkin K, Natural Selection (Employment Today) - 2008 130
Chauvel C and Elkin K, Employee protection in restructuring situations (Employment Law Bulletin 104)- 2004 8
A Time for Tough Choices (Employment Today) - 2004
Russell, A and Elkin K, More Bites at the Cherry (Employment Today) - 2004
Chauvel C, Elkin K, et al, New Zealand (International Public Procurement, Oceania Publications Inc, NY) - 2004
Henaghan M, et al, The Regulatory Implications of the Human Genome Project for New Zealand: Phase 1, University of Otago - 2003
Elkin K, Mental Disorder and the Discharge of Compulsory Patients under the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992, University of Otago (2002)
Elkin K and Jones DG, Guthrie Cards: Legal and Ethical Issues (New Zealand Bioethics Journal 21) - 2000 1(2)
