District Court Judge appointed

Auckland barrister Pippa Sinclair has been appointed as a District Court Judge to serve in North Shore, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Judge Sinclair was admitted to the bar in 1987. She has been practising as a staff solicitor and barrister in Auckland for over 22 years and warranted as a District Inspector for Mental Health Services for four years.

Her legal career commenced as a staff solicitor at McElroy Morrison. She then went to the litigation department at Keegan Alexander. In 1993 she commenced practice as a barrister sole undertaking criminal work and representing patients in proceedings under the Mental Health Act.

Her criminal practice has been predominantly in the District Court in both summary and jury trial jurisdictions including appeals and sentencings in the High Court and Court of Appeal.

Judge Sinclair has served on the Auckland District Law Society Criminal Law Committee for the past three years and is an accredited LEADR mediator.

Judge Sinclair will be sworn in on 9 December 2011 at Auckland.