King’s Counsel appointments 2026

King’s Counsel appointments 2026

Attorney-General Chris Bishop today announced the appointments of 12 King’s Counsel. The rank of King’s Counsel is primarily awarded to barristers sole who have met the overarching criteria of excellence in their careers. The 12 new King’s Counsel appointed, from over 100 applications, are Matanuku Mahuika, Karen Radich, Janette Campbell, Matthew Harris, Kirsten Gray, Tim Smith, Polly Pope, Kerry Cook, Sam Lowery, Rob Kirkness, Isaac Hikaka, and Annabel Maxwell-Scott. “The appointment of King’s Counsel recognises the exceptional skill and experience of some of New Zealand’s leading barristers, and I congratulate all 12 on this significant achievement,” Mr Bishop says. “This year’s appointees bring a broad range of expertise, spanning criminal and commercial litigation, environmental and resource management law, employment, Māori legal issues and international law. “Their experience and contributions reflect the strength of our legal profession and will support the continued availability of specialist expertise across the law. I congratulate each of them and those who have supported them on their appointment.” Matanuku Mahuika Matanuku Mahuika acts on corporate, commercial, Treaty of Waitangi, Māori land, trust and administrative law issues. He graduated from Victoria University of Wellington and was admitted in 1991. Mr Mahuika joined Bankside Chambers in 2024 after 21 years with Kahui Legal. He has written and presented extensively on Māori legal issues and is a past president of Te Hunga Rōia Māori o Aotearoa. Karen Radich Karen Radich is a specialist employment lawyer based in Wellington, with more than 30 years’ experience. She has degrees from four New Zealand universities, including an LLM with First Class Honours from the University of Auckland. Ms Radich was a partner of Minter Ellison Rudd Watts for 9 years before joining Clifton Chambers as a founding member in 2012. Janette Campbell Janette Campbell practises exclusively in resource management and environmental law. She graduated from the University of Auckland and was admitted to the bar in 1995. She has been at Bankside Chambers since 2021 and previously led the resource management practice at Meredith Connell. In 2024 Ms Campbell chaired the Expert Advisory Group on resource management reform. Matthew Harris Matthew Harris specialises in commercial litigation, insurance, construction, professional liability and class actions. He graduated from the University of Auckland, was admitted in 1997 and holds an LLM from New York University. After practising in the United States and United Kingdom, he joined Gilbert Walker in 2007 and became a partner in 2011. He moved to Shortland Chambers in 2023. Kirsten Gray Kirsten Gray specialises in criminal law. She graduated from Otago University and was admitted to the bar in 1998. She was a Crown prosecutor at Gresson Dorman and Meredith Connell. Ms Gray joined the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in 2010 as a trial advocate before relocating to Christchurch. She worked for the Public Defence Service between 2013-2021 and became a barrister sole in 2021. She joined Walker St. Chambers in 2025. Tim Smith Tim Smith is a civil litigator. He graduated from Otago and was admitted to the bar in 1998 before obtaining a Cambridge LLM. Before joining Thorndon Chambers in 2021 his professional roles included time at the London bar and Crown Law as well as partnerships at Luke Cunningham Clere and Bell Gully. He often works for or against the Crown. Polly Pope Polly Pope practises as a commercial litigator. She graduated from the University of Otago and was admitted to the bar in 1999. She joined Bankside Chambers in 2023 after over a decade as a partner at Russell McVeagh where she was Chair of the Partnership from 2021. Ms Pope is a Fellow of the Arbitrators and Mediators Institute of New Zealand and co-founder of Women in Restructuring and Insolvency. Kerry Cook Kerry Cook has been operating at the forefront of the Criminal Bar since he graduated from the University of Canterbury and was admitted to the bar in 2002. He has been a barrister at Bridgeside Chambers since 2013. As well as extensive experience in the Senior Courts, Mr Cook continues to serve as a Youth Advocate and on several professional committees. Sam Lowery Sam Lowery’s practice covers criminal and commercial matters as well as acting for and against major regulators. He graduated from the University of Auckland and was admitted to the bar in 2004. Mr Lowery has been at Bankside Chambers since 2019 and previously worked at Meredith Connell, the International Criminal Court where he prosecuted crimes against humanity and war crimes, and in New York. Rob Kirkness Robert Kirkness specialises in international, commercial and public law. He acts as counsel before domestic and international courts and tribunals and serves as arbitrator in international commercial disputes. He graduated from the University of Auckland in 2005 and was admitted to the bar in 2006. Mr Kirkness practised in New Zealand, Paris and Singapore before joining Thorndon Chambers in 2019. Isaac Hikaka Isaac Hikaka is a civil litigator with a broad practice, encompassing trusts and equity, relationship property, public and constitutional law, sports law and election issues. He graduated from the University of Auckland and was admitted to the bar in 2006. He has been part of Mills Lane Chambers since 2023 and previously was a partner at LeeSalmonLong. Mr Hikaka has an extensive practice in the Pacific Islands. Annabel Maxwell-Scott Annabel Maxwell-Scott defends, prosecutes and appears as appellate counsel in serious criminal cases. She earned her legal qualifications in the United Kingdom and was admitted in New Zealand in 2010. She then joined the Public Defence Service and went to the independent Bar in 2013. Between 2020 and 2022, Miss Maxwell-Scott was the Deputy Solicitor-General of the Cook Islands. She has been part of Sentinel Chambers since 2022. The biographies of the new silks are listed by order of call.