Disaster Law and Legal Preparedness for Post-Disaster Dispute Resolution
- 18 hours ago
- 2 min read
The Cambridge Disaster Research Network (CDRN) will host a webinar on Tuesday, 16 June at 15:00 BST on Disaster Law and Legal Preparedness for Post-Disaster Dispute Resolution. The session will feature Dr Dug Cubie (University College Cork) and Dr Toni Collins (University of Canterbury), who will discuss research priorities in disaster law and lessons from Aotearoa New Zealand on legal preparedness for post-disaster dispute resolution. The presentations will explore key developments and challenges in disaster law, including insights from the recently published book A Research Agenda for Disaster Law and the experience of the Canterbury earthquakes.
Further details and the Teams link are available below.
An Introduction to Disaster Law: Research Priorities and Challenges
Dr Dug Cubie, Senior Lecturer, School of Law, University College Cork, Ireland
Disaster law was not a subject on the curriculum when I undertook my Masters in Law at the University of Cambridge over 25 years ago. Even today, very few law schools have dedicated programmes or courses addressing the legal implications of disasters. However, as a fast-developing field of legal research and practice, there is an increasing interest from academia, states and humanitarian actors in understanding the foundations of disaster law and the associated legal rights and obligations that apply in a disaster context. The aim of this seminar is to provide an overview of some key research priorities in the broad field of disaster law, in particular drawing on the multi-disciplinary work of colleagues in our recently published book: A Research Agenda for Disaster Law (Edward Elgar, 2025). This first presentation will then be followed by a case study of the Canterbury earthquakes in Aotearoa New Zealand by Dr Toni Collins.
From Reactive to Proactive: Legal Preparedness for Post-Disaster Dispute Resolution – Lessons from Aotearoa New Zealand
Dr Toni Collins, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Canterbury, New Zealand
Post-disaster contexts often expose systemic weaknesses in dispute resolution frameworks. Following the Canterbury earthquakes 2010/2011 in Aotearoa New Zealand, mechanisms for resolving property insurance disputes were largely reactive, resulting in prolonged uncertainty which caused significant stress and consequently significant mental health impacts on homeowners affected. Initial processes failed to meet the scale and complexity of disputes, prompting the introduction of new models throughout the recovery period, such as the Greater Christchurch Claims Resolution Service and the Canterbury Earthquakes Insurance Tribunal. While these initiatives improved outcomes, their delayed implementation underscores a critical lesson: legal preparedness for the resolution of post-disaster disputes must be embedded in resilience planning before disasters occur. Therefore, proactive frameworks – supported by adaptive legislation, pre-established dispute resolution pathways, and culturally responsive approaches – are essential to avoid governance gaps and restore trust swiftly post-disaster.
Microsoft Teams meeting
Meeting ID: 322 508 044 893 589
Passcode: t7UZ3b5o
This will be a valuable opportunity for researchers, practitioners and anyone interested in the evolving field of disaster law.
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