Lisa Preston specialises in criminal jury trials and appellate work
Attorney-General David Parker has officially declared the appointment of Christchurch King's Counsel Lisa Charlotte Preston as a new judge of the High Court.
Preston obtained her law degree from Victoria University of Wellington in 1991. She began her career at Bell Gully in Wellington as a member of the commercial litigation team in 1992. In 1994 she joined the Office of the Wellington Crown Solicitor Luke Cunningham Clere as a Crown prosecutor and later associate.
Preston relocated to the United Kingdom in 1999, working in civil litigation at Thrings in Bath and Duncan Cotterill upon returning to New Zealand. In 2003, she joined the Christchurch Crown Solicitor's office, Raymond Donnelly & Co, as a senior Crown prosecutor and later as an associate.
In 2011 she was appointed Crown counsel in the criminal team at Crown law, conducting appeals in the senior courts. She joined the independent bar in 2014. Her expertise primarily revolved around criminal jury trials and appellate work, wherein she represented the defence and the Crown. Her practice encompasses medico-legal, professional indemnity and professional disciplinary litigation and acting in coronial inquiries. She holds appointments to the panel of independent legal counsel to assist Te Kāhui Tatari Ture, the Criminal Cases Review Commission, the Commerce Commission's Cartel Prosecutors Panel, and the Solicitor-General's Senior Crown Prosecution Panel.
She acted for the defence and the Crown in medico-legal, professional indemnity, professional disciplinary litigation, and coronial inquiries.
Preston holds appointments to the panel of independent legal counsel to assist the criminal cases review commission, the commerce commission's cartel prosecutors panel and the solicitor general's senior crown prosecution panel. Preston's elevation to the esteemed King's Counsel occurred in 2022. The supreme court chief justice Helen Winkelman welcomed Preston's appointment.
Preston will take up her appointment on 16 October. She will be sitting in Christchurch. Preston's swearing-in is scheduled for 17 October.
