AWLA invites you to a panel discussion with four leading High Court Judges: Chief High Court Judge, Honourable Justice Fitzgerald, Honourable Justice Hinton, Honourable Justice Peters, and Honourable Justice Wilkinson-Smith.
As AWLA celebrates its 40th anniversary, their Honours will share insights into their journey to the bench and reflect on milestones in the profession- both personal and legal, that they have experienced or have been actively involved in.
Honourable Justice Fitzgerald
Justice Fitzgerald graduated with an LLB (Senior Scholar) from Victoria University of Wellington in 1992 and was admitted to the New Zealand bar in the same year. Justice Fitzgerald joined the Wellington office of Russell McVeagh as a solicitor in 1992, before relocating to London in 1994, where she was admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales in 1999. She worked as a Senior Solicitor at Clifford Chance until 1997, and then at Debevoise & Plimpton from 1998 to 2001.
In 2001 Justice Fitzgerald returned to Russell McVeagh in Wellington. In 2003 she became a Senior Associate, Dispute Resolution at Sydney firm, Mallesons Stephen Jaques, and was admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales in 2003. She returned to Auckland in 2006, and joined the partnership of Russell McVeagh in 2007, specialising in complex commercial dispute resolution, including regulatory investigations and proceedings, tax litigation, and arbitration law and practice.
Justice Fitzgerald was appointed a Judge of the High Court in 2016. From February 2020 to August 2023, she was the Auckland Criminal List Judge, with oversight of all criminal jury trials in the Auckland High Court. She was appointed the Chief Judge of the High Court of New Zealand in December 2023.
Honourable Justice Hinton
Justice Hinton graduated with an LLB from Auckland University in 1975 and became a staff solicitor with Grierson Jackson & Partners in Auckland. In 1982 Justice Hinton joined the partnership of Hesketh Henry, working in civil litigation. She left that firm in 1989 to join the partnership of Simpson Grierson in their Auckland office and headed the civil litigation and matrimonial property team of five lawyers. Justice Hinton went to the independent bar in 1997 and was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2002.
Justice Hinton was appointed as a Judge of the High Court in 2014 and has recently been appointed as an acting Judge of the Court of Appeal.
Honourable Justice Peters
Justice Peters graduated LLB from Victoria University in 1985 and was admitted to the Bar the same year. She was admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales in 1991. Between 1983 and 1987 she was a solicitor with Chapman Tripp Sheffield Young in Wellington. Justice Peters was a solicitor with Arthur Andersen & Co in New York in 1988 and with Allen & Overy in London from 1990 1995. Justice Peters returned to Auckland to work for Russell McVeagh in 1995. She was a partner with that firm from 1997 2004. Justice Peters moved to the independent bar at the end of 2004.
Justice Peters was appointed as a Judge of the High Court in 2010.
Honourable Justice Wilkinson-Smith
Justice Wilkinson-Smith graduated with an LLB (Hons) from Auckland University School of Law in 1993 and commenced practice as a staff solicitor with Brewer Mazengarb in New Plymouth. In 1998 she became a partner of Auld Brewer Mazengarb and McEwen. In 2004 Justice Wilkinson-Smith joined the independent bar, practising as both a defence barrister in Auckland and Crown panel prosecutor in Palmerston North until 2016. She was a member of the Legal Aid Review Panel from 2008 to 2011 and a Visiting Justice at Whanganui Prison from 2011 to 2016. Justice Wilkinson-Smith was a member of the Legal Aid Performance Review Committee assessing the performance of legal aid providers from 2015 – 2023. She was appointed Crown Solicitor for Whanganui in 2016
Justice Wilkinson-Smith was appointed as a Judge of the High Court in 2024.
Limited spaces available. Please register by 5 pm Friday, 28 June 2024.
Drinks and canapes will be provided
When: 2 July 2024, 5.30pm to 8pm
Where: Bankside Chambers. Level 22, Shortland & Fort, 88 Shortland Street, Auckland.
Tickets: $25 for members. $40 for non-members
Special thanks to Bankside Chambers for generously hosting this event.
This event is now fully booked, please email admin@awla.nz to be notified of cancellations.