New Zealand Law Society - Hon Douglas White QC appointed to Cook Islands Court of Appeal

Hon Douglas White QC appointed to Cook Islands Court of Appeal

This article is over 3 years old. More recent information on this subject may exist.

The Hon Douglas White QC has been appointed a Judge of the Court of Appeal of the Cook Islands, effective from 1 February 2016.

Justice White retired as a Judge of the Court of Appeal of New Zealand in September 2015. In December 2015 he was appointed as a Law Commissioner on the Law Commission for a five-year term.

photo of Douglas White QC 
Douglas White QC

He was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in 1969 after graduating from Victoria University, joining Young Bennett & Co after working for the Law Commission in London. He later became a partner of that firm and also Young Swan Morison McKay (now Kensington Swan).

Justice White became a barrister sole in 1986 and was appointed Queen's Counsel on 4 March 1988. As a Queen's Counsel his principal area of practice was civil litigation, with an emphasis on administrative and taxation law. He also conducted three government inquiries and provided legal advice to the Commission of Inquiry into Police Conduct.

On 24 August 2009 he was appointed a Judge of the High Court of New Zealand. He was appointed a Judge of the Court of Appeal of New Zealand on 1 February 2012.

Justice White was also Pro-Chancellor and Chancellor at Victoria University for nine years.