News

Chief Justice welcomes High Court appointment

The Chief Justice welcomes the Attorney General’s announcement today of the appointment of Christchurch King’s Counsel Lisa Preston as a Judge of the High Court.

Justice Preston graduated from Victoria University of Wellington in 1991 BA, LLB (Hons) and began her career at Bell Gully, Wellington in commercial litigation in 1992. In 1994 she joined the Office of the Wellington Crown Solicitor Luke Cunningham Clere, as a Crown prosecutor and later Associate.

Justice Preston relocated to the United Kingdom in 1999, working in civil litigation at Thrings in Bath and at Duncan Cotterill on her return to New Zealand.

In 2003, Justice Preston joined Christchurch Crown Solicitor’s office, Raymond Donnelly & Co, as a Senior Crown Prosecutor, later Associate.

In 2011 she was appointed Crown Counsel in the Criminal Team at Crown Law, conducting appeals in the senior courts.

Justice Preston joined the independent bar in 2014, specialising in criminal jury trials and appellate work receiving instructions on behalf of the defence and the Crown, medico-legal, professional indemnity and professional disciplinary litigation and acting in coronial inquiries. She holds appointments to the Panel of Independent Legal Counsel to assist Te Kāhui Tatari Ture, the Criminal Cases Review Commission, the Commerce Commission’s Cartel Prosecutors Panel, and the Solicitor-General’s Senior Crown Prosecution Panel.

Justice Preston was appointed King’s Counsel in 2022.

Justice Preston will take up her appointment on 16 October 2023, sitting in Christchurch. She will be sworn in on 17 October 2023.