Hugh Williams (judge)

Sir John "Hugh" Williams KNZM

QC

(born 23 September 1939) is the current President of the New Zealand Electoral Commission and a retired Judge of High Court of New Zealand.

Early life

Williams was educated at Wellington College, Gisborne Boys' High School and graduated with an LLM (Hon) degree from Victoria University of Wellington.

Career

Williams was appointed a Queen's Counsel in 1988 and a High Court Justice in 1997. He was the Senior Puisne Judge and was a Master (Associate Judge) of the High Court for 6 previous years. He was the longest serving Judge based at the High Court of New Zealand at Auckland for many years, until he retired on 22 September 2009.

Williams was the Criminal List Judge for Auckland, and presided over many high profile trials, including the 2007 trials of Gardner and Kahui.

Williams was a former Chancellor of Massey University from 1990–1997, City Councillor for Palmerston North City from 1983-1989. He is a former President of the New Zealand Law Society, and a current trustee of the Kea Conservation Trust. In 2009, he was appointed president of the Electoral Commission and succeeded Hon Andrew McGechan QC. In 2010, he became chair of the new Electoral Commission.

Honours

Williams was conferred an honorary doctorate (DLit) by Massey University in 1998. In the New Year Honours 2010 Williams was appointed as an Additional Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit For services as a Judge.