Chris Finlayson KC

Chris Finlayson

Former Attorney General

Last Year – 15

Chris Finlayson

The publication of his latest book has helped ensure that former Attorney General Chris Finlayson has not slipped away quietly into the night, but rather remained an observant and occasionally acerbic observer of matters both legal and political.

Chris Finlayson KC

His second book, \’Yes, Minister\’ established what most already knew, that he was no yes man. Written with a pen dipped in both Indian ink and hydrochloric acid, he made some caustic but doubtless largely correct observations about former colleagues in the body politic.

He has also been able to mount his defence of the co-governance debate, noting it is not co-government but rather an arrangement with the indigenous people to properly involve them in the management of the country\’s resources in a manner that has not hitherto been properly articulated.

Former Attorney General and Treaty Minister Chris Finlayson QC has not been slip, slipping away completely quietly following his impressive stint in Government. Returning to the Bar via Bankside Chambers in Auckland he has been quick to castigate his former Party’s selection of various candidate selection weirdos by saying they deserve everything coming to them.

He has however been able to indulge in more personal interests in the arts, via his appointment recent to the Symphony Orchestra Board to run alongside his roles with the Adam Foundation and the Archibald Baxter Trust. He also stepped into the fracas over the National Library plans to rid themselves of 50,000 books, where he headed a delegation to achieve a stay of execution over the Library’s “madness”.

He does however maintain an active, if lower profile role as barrister handling litigation and mediation matters.

His nine years as a Crown Minister and as Attorney General have provided a ready cache from which to draw. Although his last case before entering Parliament involved acting for the Sisters of Mercy in an historic abuse case where he was successful in both the High Court and Court of Appeal., he has doubtless been receiving instructions across the range of areas for which he has expertise.

A wealth of Treaty knowledge, sharp legal brain and wealth of private and public law experience sees him remain a key figure in the legal world, stemming in part from his Key years in parliament and the important Treaty work he handled there.

Latest law jobs: Inhouse Counsel. . Partnership opportunity . . . Public Defender

Scroll to Top