The New Zealand government is moving to reintroduce the title of Queens Counsel (QC), following its abolition under the previous government.  A bill to reinstate the title of QC has passed its first reading in parliament.

The QC title had previously been replaced by Senior Counsel (SC) in line with the elimination of Privy Council appeals from New Zealand. However, Russell McVeagh litigation partner Hamish McIntosh said there had been some confusion in recent years as a result of the QC abolishment:  “The title of Senior Council has two meanings, it could be practitioner of Queens Council status or a practitioner who is senior and has many years of experience,” said McIntosh.

However, he said that there was a stark difference between the manner in which Queens Counsel and a Senior Counsel were perceived. “The difference is the level of recognition each title deserves – the public, profession and clients know what a QC is, but few will know what a SC is,” he said, adding that in some cases corporate clients require QCs to act for them. “However, I can see that there are arguments both ways,” he said.

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New Zealand 2010