Wellington barrister Kevin James Riordan ONZM has been appointed Judge Advocate General of the Armed Forces.

Mr Riordan has been Deputy Judge Advocate General and Deputy Chief Judge of the Court Martial since October 2013. He takes over from Christopher Hodson QC who is retiring.

Mr Riordan was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in February 1984. He will take up his appointments on 4 August 2015.

The Judge Advocate General is responsible for ensuring the proper administration of armed forces law. Those responsibilities include investigating complaints by members of the armed forces, appointing judge advocates to sit in courts-martial, and considering and reporting on the proceedings of courts-martial. With the appointment comes appointment as Chief Judge of the Court Martial.