High Court Judicial Appointments

The Chief Justice welcomes the Attorney General’s announcement today of the appointments of High Court Associate Judge Peter Andrew as a Judge of the High Court, and Grant Brittain KC as an Associate Judge of the High Court.

Biographies

Justice Peter Andrew graduated from the University of Otago in 1984 with a BA and an LLB, and joined the Auckland Crown Solicitor’s office, Meredith Connell & Co. In 1990, after studying with the University of Kiel in Germany and graduating with an LLM in Public International Law, Justice Andrew joined the Auckland office of Russell McVeagh as a senior solicitor. He practiced in the employment law and commercial litigation fields.

From 1993 to 1999 Justice Andrew was a Crown Counsel in the Treaty Issues and International Law Team at Crown Law, representing the Crown in public law litigation in the courts at all levels, and as a member of the Crown negotiating team for Treaty of Waitangi settlements in relation to Ngāi Tahu and Tūrangi. He was the Treaty team leader and appeared frequently in the Waitangi Tribunal on historical and contemporary Treaty claims.

In 1999 Justice Andrew left Crown Law to join the independent Bar. As a Barrister, he specialised in public law and civil litigation, including litigation over Treaty settlements and trust and equity litigation in the specialist Māori Land Courts. He was a part-time member of the Refugee Status Appeals Authority and the Weathertight Homes Tribunal.

Justice Andrew was appointed an Associate Judge of the High Court in 2018
te Judge Peter Andrew as a Judge of the High Court, and Grant Brittain KC as an Associate Judge of the High Court.

Associate Justice Grant Brittain KC graduated from Victoria University of Wellington in 1991 with an LLB and took up a role as a litigation staff solicitor with Gibson Sheat in Lower Hutt, working in criminal defence, family law and civil litigation.

In 1995 he relocated to London and worked for Freshfields in London, before returning to New Zealand in 1996 and taking up a role as a litigation staff solicitor for Hesketh Henry in Auckland, working in commercial and general civil litigation. From 2000 to 2002, Associate Judge Brittain held positions as an Associate for Sharp Tudhope and Senior Solicitor at Holland Beckett in Tauranga.

Since 2002 Associate Judge Brittain has been a barrister sole with a wide commercial practice, also working as a mediator and arbitrator, and as an adjudicator under the Construction Contracts Act 2002. He graduated from Victoria University of Wellington with an LLM(Dist) in 2017, and has been King’s Counsel since that same year.

The appointments of Justice Peter Andrew and Associate Justice Grant Brittain KC will take effect from 21 November 2022, with both judges sitting in Auckland.

Helen Winkelmann
Chief Justice | Te Tumu Whakawā