Matthew Palmer, Wellington QC has been appointed a Judge of the High Court by Attorney General Christopher Finlayson.
Palmer, a former Deputy Solicitor-General (Public Law) at the Crown Law Office, has held positions at the Treasury and served as Deputy Secretary of Justice. He joined the independent bar in 2012 and was appointed QC back in 2014.
Specialising in litigation and advice challenging or defending government decisions, Palmer has led argument in over 50 public law cases, acting as lead negotiator for the Crown in the first historical settlement of a Treaty of Waitangi land claim.
Working at
Victoria University of Wellington for five years, Palmer was pro vice chancellor and dean of law and director of the New Zealand Centre for Public Law. He has taught law at a number of universities around the world including Yale Law School, Hong Kong University Law Faculty and the University of Chicago Law School.
Justice Palmer graduated with a Master of Laws (Hons) (First Class). He has degrees in economics and political science from the
University of Canterbury and a Masters and Doctorate in Law from Yale Law School.
He will take up the new role sitting in Auckland.
