New Zealand’s largest litigation firm Meredith Connell has welcomed the announcement by the New Zealand Solicitor-General that its senior partner Alysha McClintock will be the next Crown Solicitor for Auckland reconfirming the firm as Office of the Crown Solicitor for Auckland, a role it has held for more than 100 years.
Crown Solicitors are appointed on the recommendation of the Government’s Attorney-General to serve a particular district and are responsible for the Crown prosecutions in the High Court and District Court on behalf of the Crown.
Ms McClintock is one of New Zealand’s leading prosecutors with over 20 years’ experience prosecuting for the Crown, crown entities and government agencies. She has conducted trials on all manner of serious crime, including murder, sexual and other serious violent offences and major drug crime over many years.
“As Crown Solicitor, I will retain and respect the traditions and integrity of the role, stand alongside and protect the interests of victims of crime and their families, while continuing to work towards the Chief Justice’s vision of a legal professional that better reflects contemporary New Zealand,” Ms McClintock said.
At Meredith Connell, Ms McClintock will lead a team of nearly 150 lawyers, including nearly 30 who are full-time lawyers on Crown Warrant work. Meredith Connell is one of New Zealand’s largest and most established law firms with a total workforce of around 250.
“This is a very large and very professional operation and I am delighted to lead a team that includes some of New Zealand’s most distinguished prosecutors,” Ms McClintock said.
MC recently announced the appointment of its new CEO, global executive Sophie Schwass, who is returning home to New Zealand to take up the role following her most recent position as Chief Operating Officer for the UK region at Clifford Chance, one of the world’s largest law firms.
