Attorney-General Appoints Two Experienced Lawyers as Family Court Judges

Both judges bring substantial legal expertise and a dedicated background in family law to their new roles.

Attorney-General Judith Collins has appointed two experienced family law specialists, Annette Gray and Annette Page, as Judges of the Family Court. They will fill vacancies in Auckland and Manukau Family Courts, beginning their terms in April and May respectively.

Judge Annette Gray will preside in Auckland, officially sworn in on 16 April. She graduated from Victoria University and began her career at Phillips Fox in 1987. Ms Gray has extensive experience in family and medical law, including roles at Buddle Findlay and Jan Clark Law. After volunteering in Solomon Islands in 1999, she returned to Wellington, establishing her own family law practice in 2000. Since 2007, she has been principal at Buchanan Gray. Judge Gray is also a District Inspector under the Mental Health Act and participates on the Hague Convention legal panel.

Judge Annette Page will sit in Manukau, with her swearing-in scheduled for 1 May. Admitted to the bar in 1997, Ms Page initially worked alongside Marie Dyhrberg KC, then moved to Smith and Partners in Waitākere, where she practiced litigation extensively across the District and High courts. She has been practicing independently as a barrister since 2010, focusing primarily on family law. Ms Page is actively involved in the New Zealand Law Society, currently serving as the Waitākere regional representative of the Family Law Section.

Both judges bring substantial legal expertise and a dedicated background in family law to their new roles.