He had his first case the same day he was admitted to the bar in 1967 against John Henry, future Court of Appeal judge and Privy Councillor.
Justice Anderson presided over hundreds of cases, including the third Plumley-Walker murder trial, the trial of Malcolm Rewa for murder, as well sitting on the inquiries into abortion, contraception and sterilisation, and the Mt Erebus disaster.
He also acted as the Administrator of the New Zealand Government during Governor-General Dame Silvia Cartwright's absence from the country in May 2005.
[6] In Lai v Chamberlains,[7] Justice Anderson delivered a lone dissenting judgement for retention of barristerial immunity on a five-judge Appeal Court panel.
[8] In the 2004 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was appointed a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the judiciary.