Football: Leading employment lawyer Phillipa Muir to lead New Zealand Football review

Football Ferns coach Andreas Heraf. Photo / Getty

New Zealand Football has appointed leading employment lawyer Phillipa Muir to lead the independent review into the conduct and culture at NZF.

The review was announced in June in response to complaints from members of the Football Ferns and other stakeholders.

The terms of reference for the review, which were also released to players and the football community today, have been agreed by New Zealand Football's Executive Committee (EXCO) and the New Zealand Professional Footballers Association (NZPFA).

NZF President Deryck Shaw says the organisation is pleased to have secured the expertise of someone of Muir's calibre.

"Pip Muir is one of New Zealand's leading employment lawyers and is experienced in leading investigations into workplace behaviour," Shaw said.

Shaw says the brief to Muir is broader than that originally proposed in June, and both EXCO and the NZPFA agree that broadening the scope is necessary to improve the future of football in New Zealand.

"The terms of reference task Ms Muir with investigating any complaints and advising whether there have been any breaches to the NZ Football Code of Conduct or inappropriate behaviour by New Zealand Football people. She will also make any recommendations she believes are appropriate."

NZPFA boss Harry Ngata endorsed Muir's appointment along with the terms of reference and expressed their confidence in the review process.

"We have been consulted about the terms for this investigation and have agreed the Terms of Reference and Pip Muir's appointment as Reviewer," said Ngata.

The players support the review as a necessary step to responding to their concerns and are looking forward to helping shape the future of football, particularly women's football in New Zealand."

Muir is a Senior Partner at national law firm Simpson Grierson where she heads the firm's employment law group and acts for many of New Zealand's major corporations, tertiary institutions, and local government bodies. She has undertaken numerous workplace reviews over the years.