New Supreme Court judge and Court of Appeal President announced

President of the Court of Appeal Sir William Young has been appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today. The new President of the Court of Appeal will be Mark O'Regan.

Justice Young graduated from the University of Canterbury and Cambridge University.  He joined the Christchurch firm of RA Young Hunter and Co. in 1978, leaving in 1988 to practise as a barrister.  He was appointed a Queen's Counsel in 1991, a High Court Judge in 1997 and a Judge of the Court of Appeal in 2003, becoming President of the Court of Appeal in 2006.

Justice O'Regan graduated from Victoria University of Wellington.  He was admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the High Court in 1977 and became a partner with the firm Chapman Tripp in 1984. Justice O'Regan was appointed a High Court Judge in 2001 and a Judge of the Court of Appeal in 2004.

The appointment of Justice Young brings the number of Supreme Court judges to six, including the Chief Justice, the maximum bench under statute.

The appointments will take effect on 1 July 2010.