Appointment of Judge of the High Court

The Attorney-General, the Hon Dr Michael Cullen, announced today the appointment of Christine Ruth French as a Judge of the High Court.

Justice French graduated LLM (Hons) from the University of Otago in 1981 and went on to attend Oxford University on a Rhodes Scholarship, graduating BCL in 1983.

Since 1984 Justice French has practised with the Invercargill law firm of French Burt Partners, originally practising in all areas of court work and from the mid 1990s onwards specialising in general civil litigation and employment law.

Justice French became a partner in French Burt Partners in 1988. In 1998, Justice French received a Southland Regional Council anniversary award for services to the community.

The new Judge will sit in Christchurch.