Ex-Whangarei QC at Privy Council

Former Whangarei lawyer David Hislop QC will take the fight to clear the name of murderer Mark Lundy to the Privy Council in London. Lundy is serving 20 years for murdering his wife and 7-year-old daughter.

In 2010, Mr Hislop became the first Northlander ever to be made a Queen's Counsel in London.

Being made a QC and "taking the silk" is one of the highest honours available under the Westminster justice system.

Mr Hislop, who grew up in Whangarei and was once a partner in Dallas Thorne and Partners, works for London firm Doughty Street Chambers, which is arguably the leading law firm internationally on human rights and civil liberties issues. He is a member of the human rights group Liberty and a contributor to Butterworths Online Human Rights Commentaries and his firm said Mr Hislop's reputation is "a preparedness to defend the indefensible" and win.

It's this tenacity that in 2005 saw him get a $168 million fraud case stayed and force the Government to reform its revenue and customs department.