Humphrey O'Leary

Infobox_Officeholder
name=Humphrey O’Leary
order=7th Chief Justice of New Zealand
term_start=12 August 1946
term_end=16 October 1953
predecessor=Michael Myers
successor=Harold Barrowclough
birth_date=12 February 1886
birth_place=Blenheim, NZL
death_date=16 October 1953
death_place=Auckland, NZL
spouse=
religion=

Sir Humphrey Francis O’Leary (12 February 1886 – 16 October 1953) was the seventh Chief Justice of New Zealand, from 1946 to 1953.

He was born in Blenheim in 1886, the son of a blacksmith who moved to Masterton. His father was Catholic, but as his son was badly treated at the Catholic school, he was sent to state schools. So Humphrey was educated at Masterton School and Wellington College.

O’Leary went to Victoria College, was awarded an LLB in 1908, and in 1908-09 was a New Zealand University rugby representative.

He first worked for Wilford and Levi, then went into partnership with a university friend Frank Kelly as O’Leary and Kelly. In 1919 he was invited to join the Wellington legal firm that became Bell Gully, to bring some new blood into the firm.

He was President of the Wellington Law Society 1921-22, and the New Zealand Law Society 1935-46. He was on the Victoria University College Council and the University of New Zealand Senate. He was made a King's Counsel in 1935, KCMG 1947, and Hon Master of the Bench of the Inner Temple, London in 1948.

He married Lillian Gallagher in 1912. They had one son. Sir Humphrey died in Auckland in 1953.

References

"The Story of Bell Gully Buddle Weir" by Julia Millen (1990, Bell Gully) ISBN 1869340264