Family Court judges appointed

Attorney-General Margaret Wilson has announced the appointment of Gregory Hikaka of Auckland and Emma Smith of New Plymouth as Family Court Judges. Judge Hikaka will sit in Rotorua from 15 November and Judge Smith in Dunedin from 18 November.

Mr Hikaka has practised as a barrister sole since 1998. His work has principally been a mixture of family law and Youth Court work. Before setting up in practice as a barrister he spent about two-and-a-half years working in firms where he undertook a wider range of litigation, including criminal, civil and employment work. He has been actively involved in working with at-risk youth and is an advisor to the Youth Horizons Trust. He is currently a board member of Relationship Services Whakawhanaungatanga and a member of the Maori Consultative Group to the Executive of the Family Law Section, New Zealand Law Society. He was a Police Officer from 1982 to 1992, with postings to National Headquarters as youth and community services officer and as a legal advisor at the time of the lead up to the Children Young Persons and their Families Act.

Ms Smith has been with Govett Quilliam since 1990, becoming a partner in 1994. She specialises in family law and leads the firm’s family law team. Prior to joining Govett Quilliam she conducted a range of civil and criminal litigation while working in Auckland and Northland. She is an executive member of the Taranaki Family Courts Association and a regional representative for Taranaki for the New Zealand Family Law Section. She has served as president of the Taranaki District Law society and has been active in CAB and the local women’s refuge.