La-Verne King of Taemaro, Te Tai Tokerau has been appointed as a District Court Judge in Northland, Attorney-General David Parker announced today.
La-Verne King, whose iwi include Ngatikahu ki Whangaroa and Ngati Paoa, was admitted to the Bar in 1989.
In 1994, along with Judge Ida Malosi and Ali’imuamua Sandra Alofivae, she established the first Māori and Pasifika women law firm, KAM Legal. Judge Sharyn Otene commenced her legal career there.
In 2007 La-Verne King returned to the Far North and went on to establish Doubtless Bay Law Ltd in response to the many and varied legal needs of the local community.
She was appointed as Youth Advocate in 1992, Counsel for Child in 1994, District Inspector for Mental Health in 2003 and Visiting Justice in 2009. In August 2018 she was appointed a member of the Independent Panel considering the 2014 Family Justice Reforms.
Judge King will be sworn in on 31 May 2019. She will also have jurisdiction as a Family Court Judge.
