Appointment round for Queen's Counsel 2017 announced
The Attorney-General, Hon Christopher Finlayson announced today that an appointment round for Queen’s Counsel will take place in 2017.
Appointments of Queen’s Counsel are made by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the Attorney-General and with the concurrence of the Chief Justice. The Governor-General retains the discretion to appoint Queen’s Counsel in recognition of their extraordinary contributions to the law in fields other than advocacy.
Applications for appointment as Queen’s Counsel open on 27 February 2017. Applicants must use the application form which should be sent electronically to the Solicitor General no later than 27 March 2017. The regulations set a fee of $500 for applicants, reflecting the costs of the appointment process.
A description of the appointment process is available here.
A copy of the Guidelines and criteria for appointment, issued by the Chief Justice and the Attorney-General, is attached below.
The Solicitor-General will consult with the New Zealand Law Society and the New Zealand Bar Association | Ngā Ahorangi Motuhake o te Ture regarding the candidates.
It is expected that the appointments will be made in early June 2017.
