The Honourable Sir William Young

Justice William Young graduated LLB (Hons) from the University of Canterbury and later gained a doctorate from Cambridge University. He joined the Christchurch firm of R A Young Hunter and Co in 1978, leaving in 1988 to practise as a barrister. He was appointed a Queen's Counsel in 1991, to the High Court in 1997 and to the Court of Appeal in January 2004. Justice William Young became President of the Court of Appeal in February 2006. In June 2007, he was awarded the DCNZM (Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit) for services as President of the Court of Appeal of New Zealand. Justice William Young was redesignated a knight companion of that order in 2009. Justice William Young was appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court with effect from 1 July 2010. He is an honorary Bencher of the Middle Temple and an honorary Fellow of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. In 2022 he retired from the permanent bench of the Supreme Court. Following retirement, Justice Young was appointed as an Acting Judge of the Supreme Court and sits in the Supreme Court as required.