Helen Winkelmann

Title Rt Hon Dame

Position or Organisation Chief Justice of New Zealand

BIO The Rt Hon Dame Helen Winkelmann was sworn in as New Zealand’s 13th Chief Justice on 14 March 2019. She is the second Chief Justice since the Supreme Court of New Zealand was established in 2004. Prior to her appointment to the judiciary, Justice Winkelmann was a partner in the law firm now known as DLA Piper, and after that practised at the independent Bar in commercial law and medico-legal litigation. She was appointed as a High Court Judge in 2004, and as Chief High Court Judge in 2010. From 2015 to 2019 she was chair of the Institute of Judicial Studies – Te Kura Kaiwhakawā. She was appointed to the Court of Appeal in 2015, before being appointed to the Supreme Court in 2018.