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staff_large_connell_simonLLB, LLM, PhD (Otago)

Contact

Tel +64 3 479 3781
Office 9th Floor - 9C13
Email simon.connell@otago.ac.nz

Teaching

Contract Law and Accidents and the Law.

Research interests

Accidents and the law, accident compensation, no-fault, tort law, contract law, contract interpretation, law of obligations theory, private law theory, negligence.

Within Contract Law, Simon is especially interested in the law of contract interpretation and how it interacts with other areas of contract law, which was the topic of his PhD. Simon's research has also addressed other contract law topics, including the rule against penalties, the doctrine of non est factum, and the relationship between contract law and contractual practice.

Simon's “Accidents and the Law” research is broadly concerned with how different areas of the law respond to the same 'accident' events, the different conceptions of a just outcome that sit behind those different areas of law, and how we resolve any conflicts between them. For example, a workplace accident could lead to compensation for the victim through New Zealand's no-fault accident compensation scheme, an investigation under our workplace health and safety regime leading to the employer being convicted and ordered to pay reparation to the victim, and a possible tort claim for exemplary damages in negligence.

Background

Simon joined the Faculty in 2014, before which he was a postgraduate student (LLM and then PhD) at Otago. Prior to that, Simon worked for the Accident Compensation Corporation.

Publications

Connell, S. (2023). Codification of utmost good faith and the fraudulent claims rule in the new Insurance Contracts Act. New Zealand Law Journal, (4), 129-131, 141.

Connell, S. (2022). Testing the limits of workplace health and safety duties. New Zealand Law Journal, (6), 204-206.

Connell, S. (2021). Why ACC's physical injury narrative is misleading. Newsroom: Ideasroom, (8 July). Retrieved from https://www.newsroom.co.nz/ideasroom/why-accs-physical-injury-narrative-is-misleading

Connell, S. (2021). No good reason to limit ACC birth injury cover. Newsroom: Ideasroom, (6 October). Retrieved from https://www.newsroom.co.nz/ideasroom/no-good-reason-to-limit-acc-birth-injuries

Connell, S. (2021). Lessons important for vaccine certs. Otago Daily Times, (4 November). Retrieved from https://www.odt.co.nz/opinion/lessons-important-vaccine-certs

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