On Thursday 8 March, Auckland Grammar School was proud to welcome Old Boy, Sir David Baragwanath '54 to speak in assembly. Sir David's commitment at Grammar perhaps signalled his ability and intent to positively impact on our society later in his life.
Starting in 3B in 1954, his list of extracurricular activities was long and varied:
- 4B Rugby, 5D Cricket and Athletics in 1954
- 3B/A Rugby, 4D Cricket and the form representative in 1955
- The 1956 School Athletics team
- A member of the 1st XV, Intermediate Tennis and Senior Athletics teams in 1957
- Named as Head Prefect in 1958, the 1st XV Vice Captain and a member of the Senior Athletics Team, winning the Douglas Carnachan Cup for Hurdles, as well as the Stanley Esam Cup for most efficient NCO in military drill.
Academically, Sir David won the Kidd Memorial Prize in 1955, his name appears sixth on the University Entrance Scholars Board in 1958, and he earned the Rope Cup for best all-round boy in his final year.
After leaving Grammar, Sir David attended the University of Auckland Law School and was named a Rhodes Scholar in 1964, going on to earn a Bachelor of Civil Law from Oxford University.
Sir David was a partner at Meredith Connell and was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1983. In 1995 he was appointed a High Court judge, before being appointed a judge of the Court of Appeal in 2008. He was the second-longest-serving High Court Judge based at the High Court at Auckland. Sir David not only presided for New Zealand, but also in the Court of Appeal of Samoa until 2012.
Between 1996 and 2001 he was also President of the Law Commission. He was also appointed an honorary professor at the University of Waikato's Law Faculty.
He is an overseas bencher of the Inner Temple in London and was appointed as a member of the United Nations Special Tribunal for Lebanon in March 2009 and he was elected president of the tribunal in 2011, a position he held until 2015.
In the 2011 New Year Honours, Sir David was appointed a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services as a judge of the Court of Appeal.
Sir David commitment to his old school is reflected in his life membership of the Old Boys Association, he was President of the Association in 1981, and was an Augusta Awardee in 2011. The Baragwanath family have a strong connection with Grammar with his Father, brother and son all attending the School.
Sir David's address to the students reflected his mantra and well-established career, speaking about his time as a high court judge and referencing Governor Sir George Grey, who endowed Auckland Grammar School in 1850.
If you would like to hear Sir David Baragwanath's address, you can watch the recording of the livestream by clicking here.
Sir David Baragwanath '54 (far right) with fellow Old Boy Don Montgomery '56 (left) and Headmaster Mr Tim O'Connor
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