Public and Treaty lawyer James Christmas has been nominated by the National Party Board to stand as a list-only candidate for National in the 2023 General Election.

After graduating from the University of Canterbury, James completed a Bachelor of Laws and a Master of Arts on electoral law reform at Victoria University. Admitted as a lawyer in 2012, he was an advisor to Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson, and then to Prime Ministers John Key and Bill English, with particular responsibility for the national security and intelligence portfolio.

He has practised law on his own account since 2019, advising a range of clients around New Zealand.

In 2021, he co-authored He Kupu Taurangi, a history of Treaty Settlements under the National Government, which was longlisted for the general non-fiction award at the 2022 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards. He is currently writing the biography of former National
Party Minister of Justice, Ralph Hanan.

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

“I’m honoured to have been nominated by the Board, and am looking forward to campaigning across New Zealand to help elect a Chris Luxon-led National Government at this year’s election. I look forward to contributing to a National team that will deliver for Kiwis on the issues that matter.”