Attorney-General expresses condolences to family of Principal Judge John Bollard

Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson extended his condolences today to the wife and family of Principal Judge John Bollard of the Environment Court, who passed away yesterday.

"I had the pleasure of first meeting Principal Judge John Bollard when we were both at Brandons in the 1980s," Mr Finlayson said. "He served his country well over the course of a distinguished public career."

"My deepest sympathies go to his family and his wife Shirley."

Principal Judge Bollard graduated in law from Auckland University in 1963, and completed a Masters in Jurisprudence (with distinction) in 1980. He practised as barrister and solicitor in Auckland as a partner in the firm Brookfield Prendergast & Co until 1984, and in Brandon-Brookfield (1984-87).

He practised extensively in local authority and administrative law before being appointed a Judge of the Planning Tribunal (as it then was) in 1988. Judge Bollard was appointed Principal Environment Judge in April 2003.