Appointment of Judge of the High Court

Wellington Queen’s Counsel Peter Churchman has been appointed a Judge of the High Court, Attorney‑General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Justice Churchman graduated with an LLB (Hons) from the University of Otago in 1979 and joined French Sons Burt & Co in Invercargill. Between 1982 and 1983 Justice Churchman was a solicitor in Dunedin at John Farry and Gowing. He then joined Caudwells (now Anderson Lloyd), becoming a litigation partner at that firm in 1984. In 1990 he was appointed a member of the Crown Panel.

In 2000 Justice Churchman joined Kensington Swan in Wellington as a partner in charge of the national employment law team. He joined the independent bar in 2005 and was appointed a Queen’s Counsel in 2013.

Justice Churchman has also been a part-time law lecturer at the University of Otago and completed his LLM at the University of Pennsylvania in 1997.

Throughout his career Justice Churchman has appeared in the Family Court, Environment Court, Employment Court and Māori Land Court, in addition to higher courts. He is also a LEADR-trained mediator.