Law Commission President appointed

Former Appeal Court Judge Hon Douglas White QC has been appointed as the next President of the Law Commission, Justice Minister Amy Adams announced today. 

Justice White was appointed as a part-time Law Commissioner in February and becomes President effective immediately, as Sir Grant Hammond is stepping down after nearly six years in the role.

“Justice White is a distinguished lawyer and judge, and I’m pleased that a jurist of his calibre is set to lead the Commission,” Ms Adams says.     

Ms Adams paid tribute to Sir Grant for his work since appointed President in December 2010.

“Sir Grant has provided the Commission with very able leadership throughout his tenure. The Commission has given valuable and accessible advice on a wide variety of complex and sensitive issues.”   

The Law Commission is an independent Crown body charged with the systematic review, reform, and development of the law. It investigates and reports to Parliament on how laws can be improved in specific areas it is asked to investigate by the minister responsible.

Biography:

Hon Douglas White was a Judge of the Court of Appeal from February 2012 until his retirement from the Court in September 2015, having been a Judge of the High Court in Auckland since 2009. He has recently been appointed a Judge of the Cook Islands’ Court of Appeal. After graduating LLM with first class Honours from Victoria University, he was a litigation partner in predecessor firms to Kensington Swan before moving to the independent bar in 1986 and being appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1988. During his 20 years at the senior bar, he had a wide ranging civil practice and also conducted inquiries for the State Services Commissioner. Justice White was also Pro-Chancellor and Chancellor of Victoria University from 1990-1999.