Professor Susan Watson
Professor of Commercial Law and Deputy Director of Corporate Governance Centre
Department:
Address: Owen G Glenn Building
12 Grafton Road
Auckland
Faculty: Business & Economics
Phone: +64 9 373 7599 Ext. 85996
Email: s.watson@auckland.ac.nz

Susan Watson is a Professor in Commercial Law, specialising in the areas of company law, in particular the nature of the company, and directors' duties and liabilities. She has published widely in these areas both locally in publications such as the New Zealand Business Law Quarterly (which she co-edits),, and the New Zealand Universities Law Review and internationally in publications such as the Law Quarterly Review, Journal of Business Law, the Journal of Corporate Law Studies and the Company Lawyer. She is also an editor and chief contributor to the text The Law of Business Organisations (now in its 5th edition) and a major contributor and joint online editor to J Farrar (ed) Company and Securities Law in New Zealand. Susan will jointly edit the second edition of the treatise, which will be published in 2012. Susan is the New Zealand editor for the Journal of Business Law and is the joint editor of the New Zealand Business Law Quarterly. She is a member of Global Women New Zealand and has been a visiting Professor at Vanderbilt Law School.
Within her areas of specialisation, Susan is particularly interested in company and securities law reform, the legal relationship between shareholders and boards, corporate governance and the liability of company directors and professionals. Before joining the University, Susan worked as a staff solicitor and associate in two city law firms, and taught part of the Institute of Professional Legal Studies law professionals course. She is the Deputy Director of the New Zealand Governance Centre.
Qualifications:
1992 MJur University of Auckland
1987 LLB (Hons) University of Auckland
Special Interests:
Company law, securities law
professional liability, corporate governance
Positions Held:
FromToInstitutionPosition Held
2011 Now Vanderbilt Law School Visiting Professor
2010 Now Bond University Law School Adjunct Professor of Law
2010 Now Global Women New Zealand member
2010 Now Vanderbilt Law School Adjunct Associate Professor of Law
2008 Now Auckland Business School Deputy Director New Zealand Governance Centre
2008 Now Auckland Business School Head of Department of Commercial Law
2007 Now New Zealand Business Law Quarterly Joint editor
Awards:
2004 Teaching Excellence Award
Service:
Faculty of Business and Economic Equal Opportunities Officer 2002- 2010
Head of Department of Commercial Law - 2008- 2010
Member University Staffing Committee- 2010 -
Teaching:
2010 COMLAW 101 Law in a Business Environment
2010 COMLAW 203 Company Law
2010 LAWCOMM 709 Corporate Governance
2010 LAWCOMM 743 Fraud and White Collar Crime
Selected Publications:
Refereed Journal Articles
2012 WATSON, S.,  ‘Ownership and Control in New Zealand’s Top 50 Companies ‘, The Company Lawyer
2011 WATSON, S.,  ‘Conceptual Confusion: Organs, Agents and Identity in the English Courts‘, Singapore Academy of Law (forthcoming)
2011 WATSON, S.,  HIRSCH, R.,  ‘Empty Heads, Pure Hearts: The Unintended Consequences of the Crminalisation of Directors' Duties‘, New Zealand Business Law Quarterly, 17, 302-328.
2011 WATSON, S.,  FARRAR, J.,  JESSEP, D.,  ‘Related Party Transactions in New Zealand: An Empirical Study of a Flawed System ‘, Company and Securities Law Journal
2011 WATSON, S.,  FARRAR, J.,  ‘Self Dealing, Fair Dealing and Related Party Transactions- History, Policy and Reform ‘, Journal of Corporate Legal Studies, 495-523.
2011 WATSON, S.,  ‘The Significance of the Source of the Powers of Boards in UK Company Law ‘, Journal of Business Law, 8, 597.
2011 WATSON, S.,  ‘The Ten-sion in Corporate Governance‘, University of Auckland Business Review
2010 WATSON, S.,  ‘Blowing the Whistle on Protection for Corporate Whistleblowers: A Lacuna in New Zealand Law‘, 16 New Zealand Business Law Quarterly, 4, 393-414.
2010 WATSON, S.,  NOOJNAN, C.,  ‘Defining Directorship‘, 25 Australian Journal of Corporate Law, 1, 5-26.
2010 WONG, N.,  WATSON, S.,  HUGGINS, D.,  WONG, J.,  ‘It's still not fair: Distortions in scaling of acceptances of partial offers under the Takeovers Code‘, New Zealand Business Law Quarterly, 27-39.
2010 HIRSCH, R.,  WATSON, S.,  ‘The Link Between Corporate Governance and Corruption in New Zealand‘, New Zealand Universities Law Review, vol. 24, No. 1, p. 42-74.
2009 NOONAN, C.,  WATSON, S.,  ‘The Widening Gyre of Vicarious Liability‘, Torts Law Journal, 2009, p144-161
2008 WATSON, S.,  NOONAN, C.,  ‘Examining Company Directors through the Lens of De Facto Directorship‘, Journal of Business Law , 587
2007 WATSON, S.,  NICOLL, C.,  ‘Meridian Attribution and Insurance Contracts‘, 123 Law Quarterly Review , 531
2007 WATSON, S.,  NICOLL, C.,  ‘Recalcitrant Directors: Rules of Attribution in Closely Held Companies‘, Shipping and Trade Law, 1
2007 WATSON, S.,  NOONAN, C.,  ‘The Foundations of Corporate Governance in New Zealand: A Post-Contractualist View of the Role of Company Directors‘, (2007) 22 New Zealand Universities Law Review, 649-681.
2006 GUNASEKARA, G.,  WATSON, S.,  ‘Regulating Business Format Franchising: Familiar Solutions for Old Problems‘, 12 New Zealand Business Law Quarterly, 12 May 2006, 174-197.
2006 NOONAN, C.,  WATSON, S.,  ‘The Nature of Shadow Directorship: Ad Hoc Statutory Intervention or Core Company Law Principle‘, [2006] Journal of Business Law, December 2006, 763-799.
2006 WATSON, S.,  ‘What We Now Know About the Law of Negligence: Clarification from the Court of Appeal?‘, 12 New Zealand Business Law Quarterly, 170.
2005 NOONAN, C.,  WATSON, S.,  ‘Distilling Their Frenzy: The Conceptual Basis of the Oppression Remedy in New Zealand‘, 11 New Zealand Business Law Quarterly, September 2005, 288-319.
2005 NOONAN, C.,  WATSON, S.,  ‘The Corporate Shield: What Happens to Directors When Companies fail‘, 2005 University of Auckland Business Review, 2005, 27-35.
2004 NOONAN, C.,  WATSON, S.,  ‘Directors' Tortious Liability- Standard Chartered bank and the Restoration of Sanity‘, 2004 Journal of Business Law, September 2004, 539-548.
2004 DARROCH, A.,  WATSON, S.,  ‘Liability of Architects in New Zealand‘, New Zealand Business Law Quarterly, 2004, 258-279.
2004 WATSON, S.,  ‘Rethinking the Misunderstood and Much Maligned Remedies for Reckless and Insolvent Trading‘, New Zealand Universities Law Review, 2004, 26-65.
2004 WATSON, S.,  ‘Shareholder trustees and pre-emptive rights‘, New Zealand Law Journal, 76.
2003 WATSON, S.,  ‘The Accidental Insider Trader: Haylock v Southern Petroleum in the Court of Appeal‘, New Zealand Business Law Quarterly, 287.
2003 WATSON, S.,  ‘Two Lessons from Trustor‘, Law Quarterly Review, 13.
2002 WATSON, S.,  ‘Gifts to Strangers: Organ Donation in New Zealand‘, New Zealand Law Journal, 211 - 213.
2002 WATSON, S.,  ‘Who Hides Behind the Corporate Veil? Finding a Way Out of “The Legal Quagmire”‘, 20 Company and Securities Law Journal, 198 – 214.
2001 WATSON, S.,  ‘Barristerial Immunity At An End‘, Commercial Liability Law Review
2001 WATSON, S.,  WILLEKES, A.,  ‘Economic Loss and Directors' Negligence‘, Journal of Business Law, 217-253.
2001 WATSON, S.,  GUNASEKARA, G.,  ‘Shareholder Buy-Outs: New Problems for Directors of Unlisted Companies‘, 7 New Zealand Business Law Quarterly, 265 - 275.
2001 WATSON, S.,  GUNASEKARA, G.,  ‘Shareholder Buy-Outs: New Problems for Directors of Unlisted Companies‘, New Zealand Business Law Quarterly, Vol 7, 265-275.
2000 WATSON, S.,  ‘Liability of Auditors to Third Parties in New Zealand, Clarification at Last‘, Journal of Business Law, 51-57.
1999 WATSON, S.,  ‘Company Law - Directors - Duties to Prospective Creditors.‘, International Company and Commercial Law Review, 36.
1999 WATSON, S.,  ‘Company Law - Directors - Powers of Directors.‘, International Company and Commercial Law Review, 35-36.
1999 WATSON, S.,  ‘Company Law - Directors - Section 38 of the Companies Act.‘, International Company and Commercial Law Review, 37-38.
1999 WATSON, S.,  ‘Company Law - Directors Liability.‘, International Company and Commercial Law Review, 34-35.
1999 WATSON, S.,  ‘Regulatory Crime - Liability of Company and Directors - Fair Trading Act 1986.‘, International Company and Commercial Law Review, 37.
1999 WATSON, S.,  ‘The Application of Common Sense: Liability of Auditors in New Zealand.‘, Journal of Business Law, 286-297.
1998 WATSON, S.,  ‘A Matter of Balance. The Statutory Derivative Action in New Zealand‘, The Company Lawyer Vol 19, September, 236-245.
1998 WATSON, S.,  ‘A Matter of Balance: Fiduciary Duties of Directors in New Zealand‘, The Company Lawyer, 236-245.
1998 WATSON, S.,  ‘Cerberus or St Peter? The Registrars Role in Relation to Company Names in New Zealand.‘, New Zealand Intellectual Property Journal, 311-317.
1998 WATSON, S.,  ‘Directors Duties in New Zealand‘, Journal of Business Law, September, 495 - 514.
1998 WATSON, S.,  ‘The Codification of Directors' Duties under the New Zealand Companies Act 1993‘, Journal of Business Law, 495-514.
1997 WATSON, S.,  ‘Anthropomorphism Reined In?: The Effect of the Meridian Decision on the Tortious Liability of Directors to Third Parties‘, 12 Company and Securities Law Bulletin, 149.
1996 WATSON, S.,  ‘New Zealand Takeover Law Reform: The Long Road Back to Square One‘, Journal of Business Law, 311-326.
1996 WATSON, S.,  ‘Takeover Law Reform in New Zealand‘, Journal of Business Law
1995 WATSON, S.,  ‘Coleman v Myers under the Companies Act 1993‘, 1 New Zealand Business Law Quarterly, 168-175.
1995 WATSON, S.,  ‘Neither fish nor fowl: Issues arising from the corporatisation of state businesses in New Zealand‘, 10 International Company and Commercial Law Review, 344-350.
WATSON, S.,  ‘Chen J and Watson S, Investor Psychology Matters : Is a Prescribed Product Disclosure Statement a Supplement for Healthy Investment Decisions? ‘, (2011), 17 NZBLQ, 412-441.
Books
2012 WATSON, S.,  VASUDEV, P.,  ‘ Corporate Governance After the Global Financial Crisis ‘, Edward Elgar
2011 WATSON, S.,  FARRAR, J.,  ‘Contemporary Issues in Corporate Governance ‘, Centre for Company and Commercial Law
2009 WATSON, S.,  ‘The Law of Business Organisations‘, (5thedn), Auckland, Palatine Press, p1-941.
Sections in Books
2008 WATSON, S.,  ‘Allocation of Power Within the Company‘ In: Farrar (ed.), Company and Securities Law in New Zealand, Thomson Brookers
2008 WATSON, S.,  ‘Capacity of the Company‘ In: Farrar (ed.), Company and Securities Law in New Zealand, Thomson Brookers
2008 WATSON, S.,  ‘Corporate Liability for Criminal and Civil Wrongs‘ In: Farrar (ed.), Company and Securities Law in New Zealand, Thomson Brookers
2008 WATSON, S.,  ‘Corporate Transactions and Liability‘ In: John, Farrar (ed.), Company and Securities Law in New Zealand , Thomson Brookers
2008 WATSON, S.,  ‘Duties of Directors- Duties of Honesty and Loyalty‘ In: Farrar (ed.), Company and Securities Law in New Zealand, Thomson Brookers
2008 WATSON, S.,  ‘Enforcement of Management Duties‘ In: Farrar (ed.), Company and Securities Law in New Zealand, Thomson Brookers
2008 WATSON, S.,  ‘Legal Relationships with Third Parties‘ In: Farrar (ed.), Company and Securities Law in New Zealand, Thomson Brookers
2008 NOONAN, C.,  WATSON, S.,  ‘New Zealand ‘ In: Helen Anderson (ed.), Directors Personal Liability for Corporate Fault: A Comparative Analys, The Netherlands, Wolter Kluwer, p.209-236.
2008 WATSON, S.,  ‘The Board of Directors‘ In: Farrar (ed.), Company and Securities Law in New Zealand , Thomson Brookers
2008 WATSON, S.,  ‘The Unfair Prejudice Remedy‘ In: Farrar (ed.), Company and Securities Law in New Zealand, Thomson Brookers
2008 BERKMAN, H.,  WATSON, S.,  ‘The Unfair Prejudice Remedy‘ In: John Farrar (ed.), Company and Securities Law in New Zealand, Thomson Brookers, New Zealand, (First edn) , p.539-597.
2007 WATSON, S.,  ‘Directors’ Tortious Liability - Standard Chartered Bank and the Restoration of Sanity‘ In: Hardy and Butler (ed.), International Themes in Business Law, Volume 3: Insider Dealing, Directors and their Duties, Corporate Governance, Sage Publications
2006 WATSON, S.,  EAGLES, I.,  ‘Business Structures‘ In: Longdin (ed.), Law in Business and Government in New Zealand, Palatine Press, 4th ed
2006 WATSON, S.,  LONGDIN, L.,  ‘Fiduciary Obligations‘ In: Longdin (ed.), Law in Business and Government in New Zealand , (4th ed), Auckland, Palatine Press, 418-445.
2006 EAGLES, I.,  WATSON, S.,  SIMS, A.,  LONGDIN, L.,  ‘Liability for Words and Figures‘ In: Louise Longdin (ed.), Law in Business and Government in New Zealand., (4edn), 538-570.
2006 WATSON, S.,  EAGLES, I.,  SIMS, A.,  LONGDIN, L.,  ‘Liability for Words and Figures‘ In: Longdin (ed.), Law in Business and Government in New Zealand, Palatine Press, 4th ed
2006 WATSON, S.,  BORROWDALE , A.,  ‘NZX and Public Listing‘, New Zealand Company Law and Practice, CCH
2006 WATSON, S.,  BORROWDALE, A.,  ‘Securities Law‘, New Zealand Company Law and Practice, CCH
2006 WATSON, S.,  EAGLES, I.,  ‘Shared Liability‘ In: Longdin (ed.), Law in Business and Government in New Zealand, Palatine Press, 4th ed
2006 WATSON, S.,  TROTMAN, L.,  BERKAHN, M.,  ‘Takeovers and Amalgamations‘ In: Commerce Clearing House (ed.), Company and Securities Law in New Zealand, CCH
2006 WATSON, S.,  EAGLES, I.,  ‘The Principles of Negligence‘ In: Longdin (ed.), Law in Business and Government in New Zealand, Palatine Press, 4th ed
2003 WATSON, S.,  ‘Accounts and auditors‘ In: Watson, S (ed.), The Law of Business Organisations, 4th ed., Auckland, Palatine Press, 286-310.
2003 WATSON, S.,  GUNASEKARA, G.,  ‘An Overview of Business Organisations‘ In: Watson, S (ed.), The Law of Business Organisations, 4th ed, Palatine Press, Auckland, 1-7.
2003 WATSON, S.,  ‘Directors‘ In: S Watson (ed.), The Law of Business Organisations, 4th ed., Auckland, Palatine Press, 191-215.
2003 WATSON, S.,  ‘Division of Powers in the Company‘ In: S Watson (ed.), The Law of Business Organisations, 4th ed., Auckland, Palatine Press, 167-190.
2003 WATSON, S.,  ‘Duties of Directors‘ In: S Watson (ed.), The Law of Business Organisations 4th ed., Auckland, Palatine Press, 216-251.
2003 WATSON, S.,  ‘Equity‘ In: Watson, S (ed.), The Law of Business Organisations, 4th ed, Auckland, Palatine Press, 311-334.
2003 WATSON, S.,  ‘Nature of a corporate identity‘ In: Watson, S (ed.), The Law of Business Organisations, 4th ed, Auckland, Palatine Press, 88-109.
2003 WATSON, S.,  ‘Overseas Investment in New Zealand‘ In: Watson, S (ed.), The Law of Business Organisations, 4th ed, Auckland, Palatine Press, 542-555.
2003 WATSON, S.,  ‘Promoters and Pre In-corporation Contracts.‘ In: S Watson (ed.), The Law of Business Organisations 4th ed., Auckland, Palatine Press, 131-139.
2003 WATSON, S.,  ‘Registration and Administration‘ In: S Watson (ed.), The Law of Business Organisations, 4th ed., Auckland, Palatine Press, 140-151.
2003 WATSON, S.,  ‘Relationship of the company to the outside world‘ In: Watson, S (ed.), The Law of Business Organisations, 4th ed, Auckland, Palatine Press, 110-130.
2003 WATSON, S.,  ‘Shareholders‘ In: Watson, S (ed.), The Law of Business Organisations, 4th ed, Auckland, Palatine Press, 252-287.
2003 WATSON, S.,  ‘Takeovers, Amalgamations and Arrangements‘ In: Watson, S (ed.), The Law of Business Organisations, 4th ed, Auckland, Palatine Press, 510-541.
2003 WATSON, S.,  ‘The Company Name‘ In: S Watson (ed.), The Law of Business Organisations, 4th ed., Auckland, Palatine Press, 153-166.
2003 WATSON, S.,  BROWN, L.,  ‘The Securities Market‘ In: Watson, S (ed.), The Law of Business Organisations, 4th ed., Auckland, Palatine Press, 441-468.
2003 ROSS, M.,  WATSON, S.,  ‘Trading Entities owned by the State‘ In: Watson, S (ed.), The Law of Business Organisations, 4th ed, Auckland, Palatine Press, 651-667.
Conference Paper
2010 WATSON, S.,  ‘The Global Financial Crisis and the Corporate Skeleton‘, Corporate Law Teachers Annual Conference, University of South Australia, Adelaide, 9 February, 2010
2009 NOONAN, C.,  WATSON, S.,  ‘Directorship Done Five Ways‘, Corporate Law Teachers Annual Conference, University of technology Sydney, 1-3 February 2009
Non-Refereed Journal Articles
2007 WATSON, S.,  ‘Liability of Individuals for the Torts of the Company‘, New Zealand Law Journal, [2007], 27-31.
2007 NOONAN, C.,  WATSON, S.,  ‘Liability of Individuals for Torts of the Company‘, New Zealand Law Journal, February 2007, 4.
Other
2009 WATSON, S.,  HENARE, M.,  R.JOSEPH,  ‘Maori Governance and Energy Development‘, Working Paper, NIWA, 2009



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