Christian Morris

Christian Morris specialises in public law, with broad experience in the Treaty of Waitangi, Crown-Māori relationship, national security and governance.

Areas of practice

A lawyer since 2012, he was a senior adviser to former Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson, and Prime Ministers Sir John Key and Sir Bill English, and has practised on his own account since 2019.

In 2021, he co-authored with Christopher Finlayson He Kupu Taurangi, a history of Treaty Settlements under the National Government. He is currently writing the biography of former National Party Minister of Justice, Ralph Hanan.

Christian Morris has a long-standing interest in New Zealand foreign policy and the arts, and served as a trustee of the New Zealand String Quartet from 2017 to 2023.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY

2019	Barrister Sole
2018	Senior Legal Adviser Ministry of Defence
2016 – 2017	Senior Adviser to the Prime Minister
2012	Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand
2012	Bachelor of Laws Victoria University Wellington
2011 – 2016	Senior Adviser to the Attorney-General
2011	Master of Arts Victoria University Wellington
2008	Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Victoria University
2007	Bachelor of Arts University of Canterbury

News & Insights

What is the difference between aiding and abetting?

REGULATORY PROCEEDINGS & LITIGATION

So what is the difference between aiding and abetting? Aiding, as the names suggests, is helping. To abet means to urge on, instigate, or encourage. In any criminal case a defendant can either be charged as a principal or as a party to the offence.

Rae v Commissioner of Police [2023] NZSC 156

CASE SUMMARY

Does the Supreme Court have jurisdiction to hear an appeal from the Court of Appeal’s decision to decline to recall a judgment in a civil proceeding? The Supreme Court addressed this issue, among others, in an “unusual, combined leave-and-appeal hearing”.

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