Appointment of Judge of the Court of Appeal and Judge of the High Court

High Court Judge Jillian Maree Mallon has been appointed a Judge of the Court of Appeal, and District Court Judge Andrew John Becroft QSO has been appointed a Judge of the High Court, Attorney‑General David Parker announced today.

Justice Mallon graduated from Otago University in 1988 with an LLB (Hons), and with an LLM  from Cornell University in New York in 1993.

She joined Bell Gully in Wellington in 1988 as a solicitor in the litigation department, and became a partner in 1998, specialising in general commercial litigation, principally in the areas of competition, media and public law.

Justice Mallon taught competition law at Victoria University from 1999 to 2005 and was appointed an Honorary Fellow of the University in 2005.

She was appointed a Judge of the High Court in July 2006.

Justice Becroft graduated from the University of Auckland in 1981 with a BA/LLB(Hons), and joined Auckland law firm Fortune Manning as a solicitor.  He was appointed an associate in 1985.

In 1986 he co‑founded the Mangere Community Law Centre and practised there until he became a barrister sole in 1993, specialising in criminal and traffic law.

In 1996 Justice Becroft was appointed a District Court Judge, sitting in Whanganui. 

From 2001 to 2016 he was the Principal Youth Court Judge, focussing on youth justice law and practice, but continuing to sit on criminal jury trials, sentencing and list courts.  

From 2016 to 2021 Justice Becroft was the Children’s Commissioner of New Zealand. 

In the 2022 Queen’s Birthday and Platinum Jubilee Honours, Justice Becroft was appointed a Companion of the Queen’s Service Order, for services to the judiciary, children and youth.

Justice Mallon will take up her appointment on 20 March 2023.

Justice Becroft will take up his appointment on 2 May 2023, sitting in Auckland.