Judith Collins. Photo: Johnny Blades
The prime minister has made Attorney-General Judith Collins a King's Counsel.
Christopher Luxon said it was an appropriate appointment, as Collins is now the Crown's senior law officer.
He said it also reflected her career achievements and the responsibility she now holds.
Before entering Parliament in 2002, Collins worked as a lawyer at a number of private firms, establishing her own firm in 1990.
She also served as chair of the Casino Control Authority (1999-2002), president of the Auckland District Law Society (1998-99) vice-president of the New Zealand Law Society (1999-2000).
In the previous National-led government she held a number of ministerial portfolios, including police, justice, corrections and revenue. In the present one, she is minister for defence, digitising government, the GCSB, the Christchurch mosque attacks inquest, the NZSIS and space.
In 2020, she led National to one of its worst election results in history.
She was the sixth attorney-general to be made a Queen or King's Counsel, the most recent being Christopher Finlayson in 2012.
Luxon said the appointment was made with the chief justice's concurrence.