Invercargill lawyer Mike Mika appointed district court judge
Thursday, 4 February 2021
Invercargill lawyer and former Manu Samoa prop Mike Mika has been appointed a district court judge by Attorney-General David Parker.
Mika was one of seven people appointed to become judges on Tuesday.
They are expected to take up their roles in March.
Mika, a director for Invercargill law firm Preston Russell Law, where he joined in 2003, will be based in Lower Hutt.
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He graduated from Otago University, beginning his career with O’Driscoll and Marks Solicitors in Dunedin.
Following that he joined Cruickshank Pryde Lawyers and spent four years working for Drew Jones Solicitors in England before returning to Invercargill.
Mika is the deputy president of the Invercargill Licensing Trust and ILT Foundation, trustee of Miharo, and a member of council for the Southland Branch of the New Zealand Law Society.
Mika played rugby for the Highlanders, Otago, the Southland Stags and Manu Samoa, and played in the 1995 and 1999 Rugby World Cups as a prop.
Invercargill Licensing Trust president Alan Dennis said it would be a significant loss for Invercargill and ILT, and a gain for the district court as he was a quality lawyer.
From his understanding there would be a by-election, which they would still need to work through, Dennis said.
As Mika had played a valuable role for the board it would be difficult to find a replacement, but it would be a rewarding challenge for anyone willing to take it on, he said.
Invercargill Licensing Trust chief executive Chris Ramsay said when Mika announced the news, everyone was excited for the achievement that he made.
Mika was serving his fourth term with ILT and was in his 10th year with the board, he said.