The New Zealand Law Society says four new female Queen's Counsel is encouraging for all women that tirelessly practise law.

Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson QC has announced the appointment of 12 Queen's Counsel.

Of the 12 appointees, seven are based in Auckland, four in Wellington and one in Christchurch.

Four women have been appointed Queen's Counsel in a single round three times. In 2013 four women out of 26 practitioners were made Queen's Counsel and in 2014 the ratio was four women out of 14 QCs. So the ratio is increasing, albeit slowly.

The four new QCs are Jane Anderson, Vanessa Bruton, Victoria Casey and Una Jagose.

The Law Society President, Kathryn Beck says she is pleased to see the increase in the number of women in the ranks of Queen's Counsel.

"Up until 1988, Queen's Counsel were men only, and this shows female lawyers are gaining well deserved recognition," she says

"I extend my congratulations to all the new Queen's Counsel who have proven through many years of hard work that they're practitioners operating at the highest level of law," Kathryn Beck says.

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