Raymond HUO

Mr Huo holds dual law degrees in China (civil law system) and New Zealand (common law system, where judicial precedent is a primary source of law), with many years of frontline practical experience. He has also published extensively in the field of common law precedent studies, particularly with reference to the UK, US, Australia, and New Zealand. Whether as a practising lawyer (applying the law) or as a Member of Parliament (making the law), he has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to the legal professionalism.

He is a barrister and solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand and served as Chairperson of the Parliamentary Justice Committee during the 52nd New Zealand Parliament. Elected as a Member of Parliament in 2008, Mr. Huo successively held positions as a standing member on the Finance and Expenditure Committee (49th Parliament), the Justice and Electoral Committee (50th), and the Commerce Committee (51st). As Chair of the Justice Committee, he presided over the revision and enactment of 19 pieces of legislation, including the Trusts Bill, Privacy Act (addressing big data), International Arbitration Act, Court Matters Bill, and End of Life Choice Bill.

Among these, the Trusts Bill represented the most comprehensive reform of trust law in New Zealand since 1956. The updated Privacy Act marked the first full-scale revision since 1993, aligning with the European Union’s GDPR standards. During his tenure as an MP, Mr Huo also drafted two Members’ Bills: The Defamation (Restriction on Qualified Privilege) Amendment Bill and The Insolvency (Private Administration of Personal Bankruptcy) Amendment Bill (seeking to address the issues concerning the rather unusual dual system in NZ’s insolvency law), both of which generated significant interest and discussion within the legal community. 

As a practising lawyer, he has a strong interest in international commercial law, trusts law, commercial disputes, cross border enforcement of foreign judgements, and international arbitration. Before joining the firm, he served as Principal of Asian Legal Practice at a prominent Auckland law firm and gained international experience as both a practising lawyer and guest professor. At Righteous Law, he works closely with teams across the firm – particularly within the ligation and commercial practices – delivering effective and strategic counsel to a wide range of clients.

Mr Huo serves as a guest professor at institutions including China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL, Beijing).  He has published nine books, including The Power of the Rule of Law – Navigating Established Common Law Cases (CUPL Press: 2019), Doing Business in New Zealand – Information and Advice from Leading Experts (foreword by Prime Minister John Key and Attorney-General Parker, Mangrove: 2021),  and Flying Kiwis (Higher Education Press: 2017).

He is featured in the authoritative Yearbook of Who’s Who of China and The History of Chinese Overseas in New Zealand (three volumes, edited by Prof Du Jidong, Social Sciences Academic Press, Beijing: 2020).

He is the founding trustee of the charitable trust “New Zealand Chinese Language Week (NZCLW)”, which officially designates the second week of September each year as “Chinese Language Week”. By 2024, its 10th anniversary, NZCLW has become an established celebration of New Zealand’s multicultural identity.

Earlier in his career, Mr Huo worked as a journalist for the New Zealand Herald, the country’s largest English-language daily newspaper (established in 1863).