Debsoc has a great number of past members who have gone on to top various fields and become well known names around New Zealand and the world. A number of the most noteworthy former Debsoc members are listed below. Where there is a link available, check out the Wikipedia entry for more information on these people.

Chris Finlayson – National Party List MP

Russell Fairbrother – Labour Party MP

Tim Groser – National Party List MP

Hon Bill English – MP and former leader of the National Party

Hamish Hancock – former National Party MP and now Crown Counsel.

Raybon Kan – Comedian, Sunday Star-Times columnist

John Platts-Mills QC – Rhodes Scholar and UK MP

Peter Boshier – Principal Judge of the Family Court of New Zealand

Stephen Kos QC – prominent Wellington barrister (formerly Chairman of Partners at Russell McVeagh)

Sir Matthew Oram – Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives 1950-1957

Rt.Hon. Sir Humphrey O’Leary KCMG – Chief Justice of New Zealand, 1946-1953

Rt.Hon. Edmund (Ted) Thomas – acting Justice of the Supreme Court of New Zealand

Sir Brian Elwood – New Zealand Chief Ombudsman 1994-2003

Sir David Smith – Justice of the Supreme Court (now the High Court) and Chancellor of Victoria University

Oswald Chettle Mazengarb QC – Prominent Barrister and author of the Mazengarb Report

Peter Biggs – Head of Colenso and former Chair of Creative NZ

Gerard Curry – Senior litigation partner in Russell McVeagh and lawyer for Alain Mafart and Dominique Prieur

The Society has also had a number of members go on to be Rhodes Scholars to Oxford University. This is New Zealand’s most prestigous scholarship. These members are:

Malcolm Birdling

Chelsea Payne

Alexandra Gillespie

John Platts-Mills