Judicial appointments announced

The appointees will sit in Christchurch, Auckland, and Wellington. Those appointed are: 

Justice Owen Paulsen, currently an Associate High Court Judge, becomes a High Court Judge. He graduated from the University of Canterbury with a Bachelor of Laws in and began his career at Harman & Co, where he was a partner from 1991 to 1998.  

From 2000 to 2001, Paulsen was an adjudication and mediation member of the Employment Tribunal while also in sole practice as a litigation lawyer, and from 2001 to 2014 was a partner in Cavell Leitch Law. In 2011 he graduated from the University of Auckland with a Master of Laws (Commercial Law) (First Class Honours).  

From 2015 to 2019, Justice Paulsen was Lord Chief Justice of the Kingdom of Tonga, the professional head of the Tongan judiciary, the president of both the Court of Appeal and the Land Court, and an adviser to His Majesty King Tupou VI on the Privy Council in land cases. While in Tonga, he was awarded an official Honour by the King of Tonga making him a member of The Most Devoted Royal Household Order of Tonga.  

Paulsen was appointed an Associate Judge of the High Court in 2019. His appointment as a High Court Judge is effective from November 15, 2025 and he will sit in Christchurch.  

Helen Wild has been appointed an Associate High Court Judge and will sit in Auckland from February 16, 2026.

Wild graduated from Victoria University of Wellington with a Bachelor of Laws in 1987. She worked at Simpson Grierson from 1988 to 1996, becoming a senior associate in 1992. In 1997 she joined the Auckland District Health Board as legal counsel. She became a principal with Chapman Tripp in 2002, before returning to Simpson Grierson as a special counsel in 2005. 

From 2007 to 2015 Wild was senior counsel with Television New Zealand. She joined Anderson Creagh Lai Ltd as a Director in 2015. 

Wild joined the Auckland Council as litigation and dispute resolution manager in 2016 and, since 2020, has been the council’s principal legal adviser and head of the legal team. 

Judge David Caldwell graduated from the University of Canterbury and was admitted to the bar in 1989. He was a partner at Lane Neave and then at Tavendale and Partners in Christchurch, before joining Bridgeside Chambers in 2016.  

He has extensive experience as a litigator and mediator in both employment and resource management law. He has been appointed as an independent commissioner by territorial and regional councils for numerous consent and plan change applications.   

Caldwell will be sworn in on December 15, 2025 and will sit in the Environment Court in Wellington. 

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