Grant Maxwell Illingworth KC LLM (Hons)

 

Date of birth:	10 November 1951
Place of birth:	Auckland, New Zealand
Education:	Lynfield College, Auckland
	Auckland University
Qualifications:	Bachelor of Laws (1973)
	Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand (1974)
	Master of Laws with Honours (1988)
	King’s Counsel (2003)
Memberships:	New Zealand Bar Association
Appointments:	Chair of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 pandemic (2024 – 2026)

 Experience:             In 1975 I commenced practice as a barrister-at-law on my own account and I have continued to practise in that capacity ever since. In the mid-80s I returned to university part-time and obtained a Master of Laws degree. My advanced studies focussed primarily on public law and, since then, I have been engaged to act as counsel in numerous cases involving significant public law issues including many applications for judicial review. Some of these cases have involved appearing in overseas jurisdictions including:

• Acting as counsel in proceedings involving two major constitutional crises in Fiji.
• Representing the Chief Justice of Fiji in relation to disputed allegations of misconduct.
• Representing parties in proceedings concerning historical events on Pitcairn Island.

Apart from my public law specialisation, I have conducted a wide range of civil cases, criminal cases and professional disciplinary proceedings. I have spoken at numerous conferences on various legal topics and have appeared as counsel at every level of the New Zealand legal system, including the Privy Council, the Supreme Court, and in numerous cases in the Court of Appeal. I have also been appointed to act as amicus curiae in several significant cases.

Set out below are examples of cases in which I have been involved as counsel.

 

CASES:

 Ansley v Prospectus Nominees Unlimited [2004] 2 NZLR 590 (CA)

Attorney-General for England and Wales v R [2002] 2 NZLR 91 (CA)

Attorney-General v Daniels & Anor [2003] 2 NZLR 742 (CA)

Attorney-General v District Court at Otahuhu [2001] 3 NZLR 740 (CA)

Attorney-General v Palmer [2004] NZAR 374

Attorney-General v X [2008] 2 NZLR 579 (SC)

Auckland Council v Blincoe [2012] NZHC 2023

Auckland District Law Society v Judd & Ors [2001] NZCA 292

Auckland Standards Committee 1 v Fendall [2012] NZHC 1825

Auckland Standards Committee 3 v PL [2016] NZLCDT 12

Auckland Standards Committee 4 v Thomas [2016] NZLCDT 5

Auckland Standards Committee v Eteuati [2009] NZLCDT 17

B v Auckland District Law Society [2004] 1 NZLR 326 (Privy Council)

Badham v Johnson [2025] NZHC 3207

Batato v United States of America [2019] NZSC 50

Beadle v Minister of Corrections BC200269088

Belman Holdings Limited v Edgewater Motel Limited & Ors [2000] NZCA 300

Benjamin v The Queen [2012] NZSC 39

Bhanabhai v Auckland District Law Society [2009] NZAR 282

Body Corporate 180379 v Auckland Council [2012] NZHC 588

Body Corporate 366,567 v Auckland Council [2021] NZHC 1481

Body Corporate 366,567 v Auckland Council [2021] NZHC 3578

Body Corporate 366,567 v Auckland Council [2022] NZHC 1120

Boler v Building Industry Authority [2004] NZAR 604

Brady v Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand [2012] NZHC 3526

Braude v NZ Securities Commission HC Wellington CIV-2003-485-001618

British Limbless Ex Service Men’s Association v Parker [2012] NZHC 633

Brown & Ors v Territory of Pitcairn & Ors [2005] NZHC 415

Brown v Attorney-General [2003] 3 NZLR 335

Brown v Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands [2006] 2 NZLR 281

Buczkowski v Attorney-General [2010] NZHC 1666

Buczkowski v Attorney-General [2014] NZHC 2885

Bujak v Republic of Poland [2007] NZCA 392

Bujak v Solicitor-General [2008] NZSC 95

Burslem Holdings Ltd v G B & J M Bockett Ltd [1989] 2 NZLR 238

Cheon v Attorney-General [2008] NZHC 1061

Chief Executive of LINZ v BCH Investments Ltd [2019] NZHC 1630

Chief Executive of LINZ v Tang (2018) 19 NZCPR 460

Chiu v Richardson (No 2) [1983] NZLR 522 (CA)

Chiu v Richardson [1983] NZLR 513 (CA)

Christian v Lands Court & Attorney-General (Pitcairn) [2022] PNSC 1

Christian v Lands Court & Attorney-General (Pitcairn) [2023] PNSC 2

Church v Commerce Club of Auckland [2006] NZAR 494

Cooper v Family Court at Pukekohe [2002] NZFLR 470

Coughlan v Cox (2014) 16 NZCPR 66

Criminal Bar Association v Attorney-General [2013] NZCA 176

Deliu v Office of the Judicial Conduct Commissioner [2012] NZHC 356

Department of Labour v Diveco Ltd [2004] NZCA 265; (2004) 2 NZELR 72

Diagnostic Medlab Ltd v ADHB (2009) 19 PRNZ 217 (SC)

Dominion Finance Group Limited (in liq) v Sade Developments Ltd [2011] NZHC 1272

Dotcom v Deputy Solicitor-General [2015] NZHC 1197

Edwards v O’Connor [1991] 2 NZLR 542 (CA)

Elworthy-Jones v Counties Trustee Company Limited [2002] NZAR 855

Enza Limited v Apple and Pear Export Permits Committee & Ors [2001] NZCA 129

Erceg (Millie) v Erceg (Lynette) (Mode of Evidence) [2016] NZAR 85

Erceg v Erceg [2014] NZHC 155

Erceg v Erceg [2014] NZHC 2601

Fa’avae v R [2013] 1 NZLR 311 (CA)

Feenstra v Carter [2002] NZFLR 270; (2001) 22 FRNZ 1

Fern Limited v Financial Trust Limited & Anor [2009] NZHC 1323

Fisheries Inspector v Widger [1977] 1 NZLR 640

Fulcher v Parole Board (1997) 15 CRNZ 222 (CA)

Garrett v Attorney-General [1997] 2 NZLR 332 (CA)

Gravatt v Coroners Court at Auckland [2013] NZHC 390

Green Land Investment Ltd v Mao (No 2) [2020] NZHC 2017

Hair v Cook [2025] NZCA 547

Hamblett & Ors v Hamblett [2006] NZHC 646

Hanipale-Brady v Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand [2014] NZAR 1167

Harold v Legal Complaints Review Officer [2012] 2 NZLR 559

Hing v Green [2020] NZFC 8877

Housing NZ Corporation v Sharp Electrical Services Limited [2015] NZHC 433

Huang v Chung [2015] NZHC 610

Hubbard v Fourth Estate Holdings Limited BC200560701

Hyams v Peterson [1991] 1 NZLR 711(HC)

Hyams v Peterson [1991] 3 NZLR 648 (CA)

Immigration Advisers Authority v District Court at Auckland [2020] NZAR 50

In the matter of D [1995] NZFLR 28

Industrial Group Limited v Bakker [2011] NZCA 142

Inspire Holdings Ltd v JSM Properties Ltd [2022] NZCA 136

Intech Inc v Anura Ltd [2022] NZHC 2146

Intech Inc v Anura Ltd [2022] NZHC 574

Intech Inc v Anura Ltd [2023] NZHC 1718

Intech Inc v Anura Ltd [2024] NZHC 355

J v Legal Complaints Review Officer [2020] NZAR 356

Johnson v Auckland Council [2013] NZCA 662

Jones v Chief Executive, Dept of Work and Income BC200462286

K v Attorney-General [2017] 2 NZLR 167 (CA)

Karaka v Ngai Tai Ki Tamaki Tribal Trust [2011] NZHC 214

Keene v Legal Complaints Review Officer [2018] NZHC 1869

Kelly v Commissioner of Inland Revenue [2013] NZFC 4208

Kesonsung v Minister of Immigration [2006] NZHC 333

Khanna v Khanna [2014] NZHC 1715

Lab Tests Auckland Ltd v Auckland District Health Board [2009] 1 NZLR 776

Lawson and Lawson v Tupe and Masson [2009] NZHC 2414

Leary v New Zealand Law Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal [2008] NZAR 57

Leckey v Attorney-General [1993] 1 NZLR 98

Legal Services Board v Whangarei District Court [1998] 3 NZLR 225

Leung Chiu v Kenneth Lloyd Richardson BC8360069

Li v Green Land Investment Ltd  (2019) 20 NZCPR 661

Liu v Cutting BC201163942

Loughlin v Serious Fraud Office [2017] NZAR 1306

Mangu v Television New Zealand Ltd [2006] NZAR 299

Mao v Green Land Investment Ltd [2018] NZHC 1348

Mao v Green Land Investment Ltd [2020] NZHC 865

Mao v Mao [2020] NZHC 738

Mark Joseph Benjamin v The Queen [2012] NZSC 39

Mason v Glover [2013] NZHC 1321

McCracken v Boyer [2024] NZHC 3262

Motor Industry Assn v Minister of Transport & Ors [2008] NZHC 758

Mu v Body Corporate 312421 [2012] NZHC 1974

Nachum v Weathertight Homes Tribunal and others [2010] NZHC 121

Napier Heights Holdings v Crown Health Financing Agency [2009] NZCA 420

National Standards Committee 2 v Tingey [2023] NZLCDT 43

Nattrass v Patterson [1993] 2 NZLR 115

New Zealand Climate Science Education Trust v NIWA [2013] NZCA 555

New Zealand Māori Council v Foulkes [2015] NZAR 1441

Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki Trust v Minister of Conservation [2019] 1 NZLR 368 (SC)

Official Assignee v Crooks [1986] 2 NZLR 322

Oggi Advertising Ltd v McKenzie [1999] 1 NZLR 631; (1998) 44 IPR 661

Ortmann v District Court at North Shore [2015] NZHC 901

Ortmann v United States of America [2016] NZHC 522

Ortmann v United States of America [2018] 3 NZLR 475 (CA)

Ortmann v United States of America [2018] NZSC 125

Ortmann v United States of America [2018] NZSC 126

Ortmann v United States of America [2020] 1 NZLR 475 (SC)

Ortmann v United States of America [2021] NZCA 310

Ortmann v United States of America [2021] NZSC 187

Ortmann v United States of America [2021] NZSC 9

Outfox Total Security Ltd v NZ Security Industry Ass [1995] 3 NZLR 122

Owen v Mc Alpine Industries Ltd BC199970642

P v Chief Executive of CYFS [2001] NZFLR 721

Palmer v Superintendent Auckland Prison [2001] NZHC 1268

Paugra Holdings Limited (in liq) v Harvestfield Holdings Limited [2014] NZCA 164

Police v Keogh [2000] 1 NZLR 736

Powerbeat International Ltd v Attorney-General (1998) 16 CRNZ 555

Prebble v Television New Zealand Ltd [1994] 3 NZLR 1 (Privy Council)

Q v Attorney-General [2011] NZAR 625

R v Barr CA144/86

R v Beazley [1980] 2 NZLR 493 (CA)

R v Cara [2005] 1 NZLR 823

R v Cooney [1994] 1 NZLR 38 (CA)

R v Cornelius [1994] 2 NZLR 74

R v Cotterill [1990] NZCA 97

R v Gorrie [2008] 3 NZLR 620 (CA)

R v Horsfall [1981] 1 NZLR 116

R v Nichols [1998] 1 NZLR 608

R v Phillips [1996] 2 NZLR 224

R v Police [2006] NZHC 931

R v Stretch [1982] 1 NZLR 225

Rajan v Minister of Immigration [1996] 3 NZLR 543

Ratzapper Australasia Ltd v Noe [2018] NZAR 1

Re Trott [2009] 2 NZLR 800

Read v Fletcher [2015] NZFLR 48

Redeal Limited v Froude [2010] NZHC 1928

Rees v Police [2007] DCR 9

Refugee Appeal No 16 [1992] NZRSAA 149

Refugee Appeal No 76204 [Publication of Decision] [2009] NZAR 745

Refugee Appeal No 76299 [2009] NZRSAA 59

Rita Wilson v Blanchett and Burns [2012] NZSC 6

Sayes v Sayes [2014] NZHC 720; BC201461107

Sayes v Tamatekapua &Ors [2008] NZHC 1826

Solicitor-General of New Zealand v Graham [2001] NZHC 1254

Solicitor-General v Bujak [2009] 1 NZLR 185

Szondy v District Court at Auckland [2013] NZCA 345

Takerei v Winiata [2011] NZHC 173

TD v Executors of the Estate of Mrs T [2019] NZHC 2490

Thakurdas v Wadsworth [2018] NZFLR 451

The Queen v Bujak [2007] NZCA 347

The Queen v Gorrie [2008] 3 NZLR 620; (2007) 24 CRNZ 39

Thirty Eight Moffat Ltd v Auckland Council [2023] NZCA 107

TVNZ v Gloss Cosmetic Supplies Ltd (in liq) BC200662217

University of Auckland v International Education Appeal Authority [2010] NZAR 1

University of Auckland v International Education Appeal Authority  [2010] NZAR 17

W v Auckland Standards Committee 3, New Zealand Law Society [2012] NZCA 401

Waihopai Valley Vineyard v Savvy Vineyards 3550 Ltd [2015] NZHC 2089

Waihopai Valley Vineyard v Savvy Vineyards 3550 Ltd [2015] NZHC 814

Water Users’ Group v Minister for Local Government [2023] NZCA 61

Wihapi v Hamilton District Law Society [1992] 3 NZLR 367

Wilson v APG Holdings Ltd (in liq) [2011] NZCA 647

Wilson v Blanchett and Burns [2012] NZSC 6

Wolf v Federal Republic of Germany [2001] NZAR 963

Wolf v Minister of Immigration [2004] NZAR 414

Wright v Attorney-General [2006] NZAR 66

Yang v Bushpark Property Development Ltd [2013] NZHC 2996

Yarrow v Jacquet [2016] NZCA 345

YL NZ Investment Ltd v Ling [2017] NZHC 1793