This week has really been all about our new silks. On Monday evening, I hosted a small reception for them in the Richard Griffith Library to which I invited the Bar Council and members of the Chief Justice’s Preliminary Evaluation Committee. Then, yesterday, it was my honour to present our new Senior Counsel at Ceremonial Sittings held by the Supreme Court, the Federal Court, and the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Divisions 1 and 2). It was a splendid morning for the silks, their families and friends and for our Bar. Chief Justices Ferguson, Mortimer and Alstergren each warmly welcomed the silks and provided some guidance for them in their new role.
The Honourable Frank Turner was educated at Scotch College and completed a part-time law course with the Council of Legal Education whilst working at the Registry of the Conciliation and Arbitration Commission. He signed the Bar Roll on 16 October 1975, less than three months after he was admitted to practice and read with Pat Dalton KC.
Yesterday, on behalf of us all, I welcomed the 47 new Readers who have commenced the ‘September’ Readers’ Course. The Neil McPhee room was abuzz with their enthusiasm, or perhaps nervous energy, as they embark upon their journey at the Bar.
A ceremony to farewell his Honour Judge John Carmody as a judge of the County Court will be held in Court 3-3 of the County Court, 250 William Street, Melbourne on:
Monday, 23 September 2024 at 4:30pm
All counsel who are able to do so are asked to attend. The ceremony will also be livestreamed via Zoom here.
Last Friday I attended a dinner in Darwin to celebrate 50 years of the independent Bar in the Northern Territory. We dined outside overlooking a bay, with a glorious sunset as a backdrop for a moving welcome to country, many amusing speeches and great music. The dinner, timed to coincide with the High Court’s circuit to Darwin, was well attended, including by the many members of the Victorian Bar who now live and practise there or who had been appearing in the Gove case before the High Court.
Requiem Mass for the repose of the soul of Austin Parnell will be celebrated at the church of Immaculate Conception, corner of Glenferrie and Burwood Rd, Hawthorn, on:
The Victorian Bar, the Criminal Bar Association of Victoria and the Children's Court Bar Association, are disappointed that the Victorian Government has abandoned its previous commitment to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 12 to 14 by 2027.
The Chief Justice yesterday announced the appointment of 25 new Senior Counsel in and for the State of Victoria. I congratulate our new silks, a complete list of whom can be seen here. The Supreme Court will hold a ceremonial sitting to welcome them on Thursday, 29 August 2024 at 9:15am.
It is with great sadness that the Bar informs members of the death of Austin Parnell. Originally from Terang, Austin first signed the Bar Roll on 31 May 1990 after a distinguished career as a partner at Middleton’s, which followed his time at Oswald Burt & Co., having started in the Crown Solicitor’s office as a young solicitor.
Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2)
The Attorney-General of Australia has announced the appointments of nine Judges to the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2) including one member of the Victorian Bar: