New Zealand's Most Powerful Lawyers

LawFuel - The Law Jobs and News Wire Sir Geoffrey Palmer, Law Commission President, has been labeled the most powerful lawyer in New Zealand in the ‘Listener’ magazine’s “Power List”.

The Listener says Palmer is sometimes referred to as Cardinal Richelieu for his behind-the-scenes power. Midway through a five year term as present of the Law Commission the former Labour Prime Minister co-founded the public law firm Chen &Palmer in 1994 before joining the Commission in 2005. The Listener last year rates Palmer as Number 10 on its list of the most powerful lawyers but has elevated him as a result of the influence he has on the legal scene as de facto “Minister of Law Reform.”

Second on the list is Solicitor General David Collins, whose position is based on his public position rather than what the magazine calls his “undistinguished” career prior to his appointment. However, it notes that he has demonstrated his willingness to use his powers, such as abandoning prosecutions under the now infamous raids under the Suppression of Terrorism Act. However, he effectively lost his case against Fairfax for their publication of intercepted conversations relating to the raids.

Third on the list is Maori activist lawyer Annette Sykes, regarded as being a sometimes polarizing rather than unifying force in Maoridom.

Fourth is criminal lawyer Greg King, who represented three of the country’s most notorious convicted double killers, Bruce Howse, Scott Watson and John Barlow. Out of 10 cases over 150 years that have been allowed to appeal to the Privy Council, three of them have been Greg King’s, with Barlow’s case yet to be heard. Last year he called for a criminal case review authority to take another look at cases that “rational New Zealanders have concerns about.”

Fifth placeholder is Police Association president Greg King who has stoutly defended and represented the police in a highly contentious year. He’s headed the Association for 12 years.

See the LawFuel Google list of the most popular lawyers by Google searches. Coming very soon.

ENDS

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