Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson QC has announced that an appointment round for Queen's Counsel will take place in 2017.

Applications for appointment as Queen’s Counsel open on 27 February 2017. Applicants must use the application form which should be sent electronically to the Solicitor‑General no later than 27 March 2017.

An application form and some guidelines for candidates are available on the Crown Law Office website.

Appointments of Queen’s Counsel are made by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the Attorney-General and with the concurrence of the Chief Justice. The Governor-General retains the discretion to appoint Queen’s Counsel in recognition of their extraordinary contributions to the law in fields other than advocacy.

The Solicitor-General will consult with the New Zealand Law Society and the New Zealand Bar Association regarding the candidates.

Mr Finlayson's statement says it is expected that appointments will be made in early June 2017.

Some QC Facts and Figures

The 2016 round of Queen's Counsel appointments saw 12 new QCs - which was the third-equal highest number of people appointed at any one time. Four women were appointed, which was the equal highest number of women appointed in a round.