Disputes Tribunal Act 1988, s 38
In some limited cases, the applicant or respondent may be able to appoint a representative, for example, if the person requiring a representative:
is under 18 years of age, or
has a disability that prevents them from presenting their own case, or
will be overseas at the time of the hearing, or
for some other good reason, is unable to present their case.
If a person requires a representative, they must contact the Disputes Tribunal before the hearing to ask permission.
Note: The representative cannot be a person who is or has been a lawyer or an experienced advocate, unless that person is a party to the claim.