Judicial appointments announced

Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced two Court of Appeal and two High Court appointments.

The four appointments will take effect on November 21, 2024 and are:

Justice Christine French.

Justice Christine French, who has been appointed President of the Court of Appeal, graduated with an LLB (Honours) from the University of Otago in 1981 and went on to attend Oxford University on a Rhodes Scholarship, graduating with a BCL in 1983. 

In 1984 Justice French commenced practice with Invercargill law firm French Burt Partners, specialising in general civil litigation and employment law. Justice French became a partner in French Burt Partners in 1988. She was appointed a High Court Judge in 2008, and a Judge of the Court of Appeal in 2012.

Justice Neil Campbell, who has been appointed a Court of Appeal Judge, graduated with a BCom and LLB (Honours) from the University of Auckland in 1992. 

He spent two years with Bell Gully Buddle Weir in Auckland before travelling to the United Kingdom, where he obtained an LLM (First) from the University of Cambridge and lectured at the University of Nottingham. Justice Campbell returned to New Zealand in 1995, becoming an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Auckland. 

From 1998, Justice Campbell mixed his academic career with part‑time practice at the bar, moving to full‑time practice in 2008. 

He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2013, and a High Court Judge in 2020. 

Justice Dani Gardiner.

Justice Dani Gardiner, who has been appointed a High Court Judge, graduated from the University of Otago with an LLB (Honours) (First Class) in 1995 and began her career as a solicitor at DLA Piper New Zealand.

In 1997 she moved to London and took up a position with Herbert Smith Freehills. She was admitted as a solicitor of England and Wales and practised in commercial litigation before returning to New Zealand and joining Chapman Tripp in Auckland in 2002, where she practised in insurance and commercial litigation.

In 2013, Justice Gardiner obtained an LLM (Honours) from the University of Auckland and practised public law from 2013 to 2014.

Justice Gardiner moved to the Auckland Council in 2015 to manage the Public Law team, becoming General Counsel and heading its in-house legal, risk and insurance department from 2018 to 2020.

Justice Gardiner has held corporate governance roles in the financial services sector, as an independent director of boutique fund and wealth managers from 2014 to 2020.  

Justice Gardiner was appointed an Associate Judge of the High Court in 2020.

Associate Judge Paul Cogswell.

Associate Judge Paul Cogswell, who has been appointed an Associate High Court Judge, graduated from the University of Auckland with an LLB in 1992 and joined Auckland law firm Hesketh Henry Lawyers, becoming a partner in the litigation and dispute resolution team in 2001.

In 2006 he formed the firm cogswell+jaduram with a colleague, and was a partner at that firm until 2013. He was then principal of Cogswell Law until 2022, providing litigation and dispute resolution legal advice.

Associate Judge Cogswell has held a judicial warrant as an adjudicator for the Weathertight Homes Tribunal since 2010, and has been chair of the tribunal since 2022. He also held a judicial warrant as a foundation member of the Canterbury Earthquakes Insurance Tribunal, a specialist tribunal established to resolve long‑standing earthquake claims in the Canterbury region.

Since 2022 Associate Judge Cogswell has been a Barrister Sole at FortyEight Shortland Barristers, practising in litigation and dispute resolution with particular expertise in building and construction law.

Justice Gardiner and Associate Judge Cogswell will sit in Auckland.

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