Before joining the High Court, he served as a consultant at Bell Gully
Helen Winkelmann, New Zealand’s chief justice, has announced an acting warrant for the appointment of Clive Taylor, currently an associate judge of the High Court, as an acting associate judge of the same court from 10 March 2026 to 31 December 2026.
According to a media statement from the New Zealand courts, Cindy Kiro, governor-general, made the appointment based on the advice of Judith Collins, attorney-general.
The media statement noted that the acting warrant aims to help address the workload of the courts.
David Parker, then attorney‑general, announced Taylor’s appointment as an associate judge of the High Court of New Zealand on 7 October 2021. Taylor sits in Auckland.
The government’s news release from that time and Taylor’s biography on the website of the New Zealand courts provided more information about his professional experience and educational background.
Prior to joining the bench, he served as an Auckland-based barrister and solicitor.
At Bell Gully, Taylor became a senior associate in 1988, was promoted to corporate partner in 1989, and retired from the partnership in 2014. He stayed on with the firm to practise as a consultant until 2021.
In 1985, he became a partner at Holmden Horrocks & Co. There, he worked in the corporate department for three years. In 1984, he worked as a senior staff solicitor in Bell Gully’s corporate department.
Taylor worked in London for some time. He spent two years in a boutique corporate law firm before returning to Auckland in 1984.
He obtained a BSc in 1976 and an LLB (honours) in 1981, both from the University of Auckland. He received the Senior Prize in Law.
On 20 February 2026, Collins announced the appointment of Brett Donald Tantrum, another Auckland barrister and solicitor, as a High Court judge sitting in Auckland, effective 30 March 2026.
Winkelmann welcomed the attorney-general’s announcement regarding Tantrum’s judicial appointment.
The New Zealand courts shared that Tantrum will be sworn in on Friday, 10 April 2026, at the Auckland High Court.
