List of King's and Queen's Counsel in New Zealand explained

The office of King's Counsel was established in New Zealand in 1907.[1] During the reign of a male sovereign, appointees are called King's Counsel, and this applied from 1907 to 1952 during the reign of Edward VII (1907–1910),[2] George V (1910–1936),[3] Edward VIII (1936),[4] and George VI (1936–1952).[5] During Elizabeth II's reign (February 1952 – September 2022), new appointees were called Queen's Counsel and living King's Counsel became Queen's Counsel.[6] Forty-three King's Counsel had been appointed before 1952.[7] When King Charles III ascended the throne on 9 September 2022 (New Zealand Time), living Queen's Counsel automatically became King's Counsel.

Appointments in New Zealand can be made annually by the Governor-General acting on behalf of the sovereign. Recommendations are made by the Attorney-General with concurrence by the Chief Justice. When the first ten appointments were made in June 1907 by Chief Justice Sir Robert Stout, two were from Auckland, four were from Wellington, two were from Christchurch, and two were from Dunedin.[8] The first King's Counsel to die was Thomas Joynt on 5 September 1907, less than three months after his appointment;[9] Joynt had been the senior member of the bar in the country.[8]

Of the 108 years since 1907 (as of 2015), there have been 40 years in which no appointments were made.[10] There have been 364 warrant holders so far.[11] [12]

The first women appointed to the office were Sian Elias and Lowell Goddard in 1988.

List of office holders

The following is a complete list of the office holders, based on the list maintained by the Crown Law Office[13] plus one person (Claude Weston) who, according to the Law Society, is missing on the official list. Another person who is missing from the official list is Justice Warwick Gendall, who took silk in June 1996[14] and was appointed to the High Court later that year.[15]

-- sorted by date of appointment, then surname -->
NamePortraitYear appointedLocation
1907Auckland
1907Wellington
1907Wellington
1907Wellington
1907Dunedin
1907Christchurch
1907Wellington
1907Dunedin
1907Christchurch
1907Auckland
1910Dunedin
1911Auckland
1912Auckland
1912Wellington
1912Wellington
1912Auckland
1912Wellington
1913Christchurch
1913Christchurch
1915Dunedin
1919New Plymouth
1922Wellington
1925Auckland[16]
1925Wellington
1929Wellington
1930Dunedin
1930Wellington
1934Dunedin
1934[17] Auckland
1934Wellington
1934Wellington
1935Wellington
1936Wellington
1939Christchurch
1946Wellington
1946Auckland
1946Wellington
1947Wellington
1947Auckland
1950Dunedin
1952Auckland
1952Auckland
1952Auckland
1954Auckland
1957Auckland
1957Wellington
1958Auckland
1958Hamilton
1958Auckland
1961Wellington
1963Wellington
1964Wellington
1964Auckland
1965Christchurch
1965Auckland
1965Auckland
1966Wellington
1967Auckland
1968Wellington
1968Auckland
1970Palmerston North
1970Auckland
1970
1971
1971
1971
1973
1973
1973
1973
1973
1973
1974
1974
1976
1976
1976
1978
1978
1978
1978
1979
1979
1980
1981
1981
1981
1981
1981
1981
1982
1983
1983Auckland
1983
1983
1984
1984
1984
1985
1985Auckland
1985
1985Hamilton
1986
1986
1986
1986Auckland
1986
1987
1987
1987
1987
1987Auckland
1987
1988Wellington
1988
1988
1988
1988
1988
1988
1989
1989New Plymouth
1989Christchurch
1990
1990
1990
1990Palmerston North
1990
1991
1991
1991
1991
1991
1991
1992
1992
1992
1993
1993Wellington
1993
1994
1994
1994
1994
1994
1994
1994
1994
1995
1995
1995
1995
1995
1995
1995
1995
1995
1996Wellington
1996
1996
1996Auckland
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1997
1997
1997
1997
1997
1997
1997
1998
1998
1998
1998
1998
1998
1998
1998
1998
1999
1999
1999
1999
1999
1999
2000
2000
2000
2000
2000
2000
2000
20 May 2002
20 May 2002
20 May 2002
20 May 2002
20 May 2002
20 May 2002
20 May 2002
20 May 2002
20 May 2002
2003
2003
2003
2003
2004
2004
2004
2004
2005
2005
2005
2005
2006
2006
2007
2007
2007
2007
2007
2007
2007
2007
2007
2007
2007
2007
2008Wellington
2008
2008
2008
2008
2008Auckland
2008
2012
2012
16 May 2013 Christchurch
16 May 2013 Wellington
16 May 2013 Wellington
16 May 2013 Auckland
16 May 2013 Dunedin
16 May 2013 Auckland
16 May 2013 Napier
16 May 2013 Auckland
16 May 2013 Auckland
16 May 2013 Wellington
16 May 2013 Auckland
16 May 2013 Wellington
16 May 2013 Auckland
16 May 2013 Auckland
16 May 2013 Auckland
16 May 2013 Wellington
16 May 2013 Auckland
16 May 2013 Auckland
16 May 2013 Auckland
16 May 2013 Auckland
16 May 2013 Wellington
16 May 2013 Auckland
16 May 2013 Auckland
16 May 2013 Christchurch
16 May 2013 Auckland
16 May 2013 Auckland
2014Auckland
2014Auckland
2014Auckland
2014Auckland
2014Auckland
2014Auckland
2014Auckland
2014Christchurch
2014Christchurch
2014Dunedin
2014Auckland
2014Wellington
2014Wellington
2014Wellington
2015 Auckland
2015 Wellington
2015 Wellington
[18] 2016 Auckland
2016 Auckland
2016 Auckland
2016 Auckland
2016 Auckland
2016 Auckland
2016 Auckland
2016 Christchurch
2016 Wellington
2016 Wellington
2016 Wellington
2016 Wellington
[19] 2017 Auckland
2017 Auckland
2017 Auckland
2017 Auckland
2017 Auckland
2017 Auckland
2017 Auckland
2017 Auckland
2017 Auckland
2017 Auckland
2017 Tauranga
2017 Wellington
2017 Wellington
[20] 2018Auckland
2018Auckland
2018Auckland
2018Auckland
2018Wellington
2018Invercargill
2018Christchurch
2018Auckland
2018Dunedin
2018Christchurch
[21] 2019 Auckland
2019 Auckland
2019 Auckland
2019 Auckland
2019 Wellington
2019 Wellington
2019 Dunedin
2019 Rotorua
[22] 2021 Auckland
2021 Auckland
2021 Auckland
2021 Auckland
2021 Auckland
2021 Auckland
2021 Wellington
2021 Wellington
2021 Wellington
2021 Christchurch
[23] 2022 Northland
2022 Auckland
2022 Auckland
2022 Auckland
2022 Auckland
2022 Auckland
2022 Auckland
2022 Wellington
2022 Christchurch
2022 Christchurch
[24] 2023 Auckland
[25] 2024 Christchurch
2024 Christchurch
2024 Auckland
2024 Auckland
2024 Auckland
2024 Auckland
2024 Auckland
2024 Auckland
2024 Wellington
2024 Wellington
2024 Wellington
2024 Christchurch
2024 Auckland
2024 Wellington
2024 Wellington
2024 Christchurch
2024 Nelson
2024 Auckland
2024 Auckland

Notes and References

  1. Web site: History of Queen's Counsel . Dr Donald Stevens QC . 4 September 2013 . Stevens . Donald . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130903184441/http://doctor-don.com/hoqc.html . 3 September 2013 .
  2. Web site: King Edward VII . . 4 September 2013.
  3. Web site: King George V . Britroyals . 4 September 2013.
  4. Web site: Edward VIII . English Monarchs . 4 September 2013.
  5. Web site: George VI . English Monarchs . 4 September 2013.
  6. Web site: A rare honour: Queen's Counsel in New Zealand . . 18 April 2021 . 5 April 2019.
  7. Web site: Geoff . Adlam . Queen's Counsel rank recognises excellence . my.lawsociety . 18 July 2014 . 13 February 2015.
  8. News: King's Counsel . . 7 June 1907 . 7 September 2013 . 8949 . 3.
  9. News: Obituary . . 5 September 1907 . 6 September 2013 . 9026 . 3.
  10. Web site: Crown Law lists Queen's Counsel appointments since 1907 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150213234157/http://my.lawsociety.org.nz/news/crown-law-lists-queens-counsel-appointments-since-1907 . 13 February 2015 . my.lawsociety . 4 September 2013.
  11. Web site: King's Counsel appointments . New Zealand Law Society . 14 November 2022 . 27 June 2024.
  12. Web site: King’s Counsel appointments 2024 . Hon Judith Collins KC . 27 June 2024 . 27 June 2024.
  13. Web site: Queen's Counsel appointments since 1907 as at July 2013 . . 4 September 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140329220631/http://www.crownlaw.govt.nz/uploads/qc_since_1907.pdf . 29 March 2014 .
  14. News: Departmental . 30 November 2021 . . 13 June 1996.
  15. East . Paul . 9 September 1996 . Appointment of Judge of the High Court . Wellington . New Zealand Government . 30 November 2021.
  16. News: Mr. Justice Ostler . 19 April 2021 . . LVI . 28 . 3 February 1925 . 7.
  17. Book: Scholefield, Guy . Guy Scholefield

    . Who's Who in New Zealand, 1951 . Guy Scholefield . 1951 . 5th . . Wellington . xxi.

  18. Web site: Twelve new Queen's Counsel. New Zealand Law Society. 2 February 2018. 8 June 2016.
  19. Web site: Appointment of 13 Queen's Counsel announced . . 2 February 2018 . 2 June 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180301071014/http://www.lawsociety.org.nz/news-and-communications/latest-news/news/appointment-of-13-queens-counsel-announced . 1 March 2018.
  20. News: Dolor . Sol . 10 join the senior ranks of the legal profession . 3 May 2021 . NZ Lawyer . 30 November 2018.
  21. Web site: Eight Queen's Counsel appointed under new criterion . 5 December 2009 . David . Parker . David Parker (New Zealand politician) . New Zealand Government . 9 December 2019.
  22. Web site: Appointment of Queen’s Counsel . 24 June 2021 . New Zealand Government . 24 June 2021.
  23. Web site: Appointment of King’s Counsel . 11 November 2022 . New Zealand Government . 13 November 2022.
  24. News: Attorney General Judith Collins appointed as King's Counsel . 15 December 2023 . . 15 December 2023.
  25. Web site: King’s Counsel appointments 2024 . 27 June 2024 . New Zealand Government . 28 June 2024.

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