Chauvel: Calling to the Inner Bar Speech
new-zealand-labour-party
Fri Jun 15 2007 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
Chauvel: Calling to the Inner Bar Speech
Friday, 15 June 2007, 3:31 pm
Speech: New Zealand Labour Party
Charles Chauvel, Dame Sian Elias and John Marshall
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Speech to Parliamentary Function, hosted by Charles Chauvel, Labour List MP Resident in Wellington, to Mark the Calling to the Inner Bar of Six Barristers Resident in Wellington
Grand Hall of Parliament
13 June 2007
Madam Speaker;
Attorney General the Honourable Dr Michael Cullen MP;
Current and former Parliamentary colleagues, including former Prime Minister and Attorney General the Right Honourable Sir Geoffrey Palmer;
Chief Justice the Right Honourable Dame Sian Elias;
Justices Anderson, Blanchard, McGrath, and Tipping of the Supreme Court;
Judges and former judges of the Court of Appeal, the High Court, the District Courts, the Employment Court, the Environment Court and the Maori Land Court, including Chief High Court Judge Randerson, and Chief Judges Johnson, and Williams;
Councillor Aleck Shaw and other Councillors;
Professors Beaglehole, Walsh, Prebble, Quigley, Atkin and Smith;
Queen’s Counsel;
Members of the legal profession;
Ladies and Gentlemen:
As Parliament’s newest lawyer, it is an honour to have been invited to host tonight’s celebration of the 100th year in which members of my profession have been called to the inner bar in New Zealand. I welcome you all to the Grand Hall of Parliament Buildings.
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As a Wellington MP, I am proud to note that of the twelve new Queen’s Counsel for New Zealand this year, fully half of them – the six whom we particularly honour this evening – have their chambers in Wellington. As a graduate of Victoria University of Wellington, I am very pleased to observe - in the presence of seven of its professors – that six of the twelve new silks are also graduates of that University.
I wish to congratulate each of Wellington’s new silks in turn.
Karen Clark graduated from Victoria University, and first worked as a Judge’s Clerk. She joined the Crown Law Office in 1986, and was appointed Deputy Solicitor-General (Public Law) in 2002. She represented the Solicitor-General on the Rules Committee for a number of years. I know from personal experience, especially from my own service with Karen at the Crown Law Office, that Karen is regarded extremely highly for the expertise and judgment that she has exercised in all of these roles.
Bruce Corkill is a graduate of Otago University, and worked for Agar Keesing McLeod & Co before living and working overseas. He joined the independent bar in 1997 and specialises in the areas of personal injury, employment and family law. Mr Corkill is Chair of the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal. I have appeared opposite him and can attest not only to the quality of his advocacy but also his humane and considerate manner with clients.
Stephen Kós is a graduate of Victoria and Cambridge universities, and has worked for the University, as well as having been a member of both Perry Castle and Russell McVeagh. He is Pro-Chancellor of Massey University, an honorary lecturer in civil procedure at Victoria University, and the author and co-author of a number of well-regarded legal publications. I was delighted to speak last month at the opening of Stout Street Chambers, where Stephen now practises in splendour with Justin Smith and Les Taylor.
Robert Lithgow is a Victoria graduate, and has practised as a barrister since 1985, except for the time that he spent as Crown Counsel between 1994 and 1997, which is when I first worked with him. He has served for some 20 years as a faculty member for the New Zealand Law Society Litigation Skills course, and has contributed to the Litigation Skills courses provided for Pacific Island Countries. Robert’s forthright and effective advocacy in the crimes jurisdiction is highly regarded.
John Marshall graduated Bachelor of Laws from Victoria University in 1969, and was admitted in the same year. After a distinguished career in firms including Buddle Findlay, in 1998 he joined the independent bar. John is the 27th President of the New Zealand Law Society, a position he has held since March this year. In this role he continues his long service to the profession, in which he has been a district President, national society Vice-President and Treasurer.
Dr Campbell McLachlan is a graduate of Victoria University of Wellington, and the University of London. His wide expertise is in public international law, international commercial litigation and arbitration, and conflict of laws. Dr McLachlan serves as a Professor of Law at Victoria, and is the author of various legal texts. He is celebrated as a scholar and legal writer of the highest order.
On behalf of all of us here this evening, I wish the six of you all the very best for your practise at the highest levels of the independent bar, and I invite John Marshall to make his address.
ENDS
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