Wellington Crown Solicitor Ken Stone died on 1 February 2008, aged 65. He died of cancer, eight years after the disease was first diagnosed and just weeks before he was due to retire on 31 March following 38 years' service with Luke, Cunningham and Clere, after 19 years as Crown Solicitor. 

Born in Wellington on 8 April 1942, Ken Stone was educated at Rongotai College before going to Victoria University to study law. He was admitted in 1964 after completing his LLB and continued to study, graduating LLM in 1965.

While he studied law, Mr Stone worked as a law clerk and for Macalister Mazengarb & Co. He was employed with that firm as a staff solicitor after his admission until 1969 when he went to work for Luke Cunningham and Clere. He stayed with that firm for the rest of his career.

In 1974 Ken Stone married Ngaire Lucy Watts. The couple had two sons, Nigel and Adrian.

He was appointed Crown Solicitor for Wellington in 1989, and remained in that role until his death. During his time in the role he prosecuted many cases, and represented the Crown in the three trials related to the murders of Eugene and Gene Thomas, as well as the inept kidnapping of businessman Bill Trotter by an Upper Hutt lawyer.

Ken Stone was Wellington District Law Society President in 1996 after joining its council in 1990. He also served on the New Zealand Law Society Board in 1996 and 1997 and on the New Zealand Law Society Council from 1993 to 1998.