According to a notice on the New Zealand Law Society website, Gardner-Hopkins has reapplied for his certificate.
The notice said any comments concerning eligibility for a practising certificate should be made by March 20.
During the tribunal’s liability hearing in 2021, former summer clerks said Gardner-Hopkins touched them inappropriately, with one woman describing that she felt like a “piece of meat”.
“As one of them explained during the liability hearing, the fact that they were not safe from a partner, led to a feeling that they could not be safe anywhere in the workplace,” the tribunal’s decision read.
It found his conduct in all the charges relating to six separate incidents met the test of being regarded as “disgraceful or dishonourable”.
Gardner-Hopkins was censured and suspended for two years initially.
Gardner-Hopkins and the Law Society’s National Standards Committee cross-appealed the tribunal’s penalty ruling at the High Court.
The committee argued for Gardner-Hopkins to be struck off the roll of barristers and solicitors or suspended for at least three years, while Gardner-Hopkins sought a reduction of the existing penalty.
His cross-appeal was dismissed, while the standards committee’s appeal led to his two-year suspension being increased to three years. The committee’s argument that Gardner-Hopkins should be struck off was unsuccessful.
Gardner-Hopkins completed his three-year suspension as of February this year.
He is now legally allowed to apply for a new practising certificate through the New Zealand Law Society practice approval committee.
According to the society, there are several criteria involved in approving an application.
The applicant, for example, must be considered a “fit and proper person to hold a practising certificate”.
A society spokesperson told the Herald it was “unable to discuss individual applications for reasons of privacy and confidentiality”.
Gardner-Hopkins has been approached for comment.
Katie Oliver is a Christchurch-based Multimedia Journalist and breaking news reporter.
