VICTORIAN BAR

VICTORIAN BAR

The professional association of barristers providing
strong, independent legal representation.

BRIEFING A BARRISTER

BRIEFING
A BARRISTER

Engaging a barrister is straightforward - whether for advice,
mediation, arbitration or litigation, we’ll guide you through
the process.

EXCELLENCE IN THE LAW

EXCELLENCE
IN THE LAW

Specialist advocates, advisors and strategists providing
proactive advice and representation in the courts,
tribunals, mediations and arbitrations.

LEADERSHIP IN THE PROFESSION

LEADERSHIP IN
THE PROFESSION

Advancing the rule of law, improving access to justice
and promoting the efficient administration of justice.

Find a barrister

ADVANCED SEARCH
And / Or

Latest News & Events

18May
Event

All members of the Bar and Judiciary are warmly invited to the Dinner on Saturday, 18 May 2024, 7:00pm at the National Gallery of Victoria. The event is black tie and will feature guest speaker the Honourable Justice Robert Beech-Jones of the High Court of Australia.

28Mar
In Brief

Bar Exam and Readers’ Course

Last week, Bar Council received the Report of the 5-Year Exam Review Panel chaired by the Hon. Peter Riordan KC. The report made 17 recommendations and 4 suggestions for substantial changes to the Bar Exam and the Readers’ Course. The changes are designed to ensure that the Exam does not unnecessarily restrict entry to the Bar and to increase the number of places in the Readers’ Course. Members can read the report (with some redactions to protect confidential information which I am confident are not material to an understanding of the report) here.

25Mar
News

Bar Roll No: 743

It is with deep regret that the Bar informs members of the death of John Kaufman KC on Saturday, 24 March.  John signed the Bar Roll on 25 February 1965 and read with the Honourable R.G. DeB Griffith QC.  He had nine Readers, was appointed silk on 24 February 1992 and retired in 2006.

22Mar
In Brief

On Tuesday evening, the Hon. John Digby KC, Chairman of BCL and its CEO, Paul Clark, attended the Bar Council meeting to provide their quarterly update, including with respect to how they are managing the increasing number of vacancies and the expected departure of a number of floors later this year. The BCL model, which provides such great flexibility to our members has, on the flip side, some great challenges for those tasked with managing it. To this end, a BCL survey seeking member’s feedback on chambers and technology services has been sent to all members this week. I encourage you all to participate in the survey, which will help inform BCL’s future strategic direction. Click here to complete the survey. The Bar Council remains very focused on the Bar’s accommodation needs, and we are grateful for the assistance of John and Paul and the rest of the BCL board. This year has seen the appointment to the BCL board of Liz Bennett S.C. and Stewart Maiden KC, and I am happy to announce that on Tuesday night, Bar Council also appointed Sam Hay KC to the Board. This morning the Board elected to appoint Sam as its Deputy Chair.

21Mar
News

Magistrates’ Court of Victoria 

A ceremony to farewell her Honour Magistrate Anne Goldsbrough of the Magistrates’ Court will be held in Court 1 of the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court, 233 William Street, Melbourne on:

Monday, 25 March 2024 at 4:15pm

19Mar
News

Bar Roll No: 2463

It is with deep regret that the Bar informs members of the death of the Honourable Richard Francis Edmonds AM S.C.

15Mar
In Brief

I hope that members and their families managed to keep cool and enjoyed a restful Labour Day weekend. On Saturday, happily by Zoom, I attended an Australian Bar Association Directors meeting to discuss the ABA’s budget for 2024-25. The ABA is fortunate to have healthy capital reserves which are earning good income.  It was determined that it was undesirable to fund operations, including a number of planned special projects, from capital and the Board accordingly resolved to increase capitation fees by 4%, or about $4.00 per member.

8Mar
In Brief

On Monday, I spoke at the introductory session of the March Readers’ Course to welcome the 48 Readers who will soon be members of our Bar. They are an impressive cohort who will add to the Bar's increasingly diverse cultural makeup with Readers born across the world in China, France, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and the United Kingdom. The first week has seen them attend sessions by Rowena Orr KC, Solicitor General for the State of Victoria, on the role of a barrister, Kathleen Foley S.C. and Kateena O’Gorman S.C. on written and oral appellate advocacy, and The Hon. John Middleton AM KC, Anthony Strahan KC, Sarah Porritt, Owen Nanlohy on conduct in and out of court. The Readers’ course is a huge undertaking that relies heavily on members who give of their time and experience and to whom we all owe an immense debt of gratitude. On Monday night, the Readers were also welcomed at a function at the Essoign for the Readers and their Mentors.

1Mar
In Brief

This week, the Victorian Bar hosted two truly outstanding events. On Tuesday evening, the Art & Collections Committee and the Peter O’Callaghan QC Gallery Foundation unveiled a photograph of Barbara Hocking taken by Dr Bryan Keon-Cohen AM KC. Siobhan Ryan KC, Chair of the committee and a director of the gallery, gave a brief account of the story behind the Bar’s copy of the photograph and its many connections to the Victorian Bar. Dr Keon-Cohen took the photograph in March 1983 on Mer Island when counsel were preparing the case on behalf of Eddie Koiki Mabo and other claimants. The photo depicts Hocking, the acknowledged “intellectual architect” of the Mabo case, with the Reverend Dave Passi, Flo Kennedy, and other Mer Islanders. Hocking’s daughter, Professor Jenny Hocking AM, spoke of her mother’s career as a lawyer and her dedication to Aboriginal land rights. We also heard from Dr Keon-Cohen about the photograph and the proceedings in the High Court.

23Feb
In Brief

On Monday morning, the executive and I attended a morning tea with the Bar Office team. It was a lovely way to start the week and energy levels were extremely high, particularly amongst those who had the good fortune to attend a Taylor Swift concert or two over the weekend. The Bar Office has a punishing workload that is always accomplished with great efficiency and enthusiasm.

16Feb
News

Supreme Court of Victoria

A welcome ceremony to mark the appointment of the Honourable Justice Paul Cosgrave as a judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria will be held in Banco Court, Supreme Court of Victoria, 210 William Street, Melbourne on:

Thursday, 22 February 2024 at 9:15am

16Feb
In Brief

On Monday, I attended the ‘town hall’ hosted by the 5-Year Exam Review Panel. The Honourable Peter Riordan KC (Chair of the 5-Year Panel) provided an overview of the Panel’s work to date, and members were given the opportunity to raise their concerns. Some of the suggested changes discussed were setting the Exam in three parts (evidence, ethics, and procedure) and requiring candidates to re-sit only those parts that they have failed; providing candidates with the option to sit either a civil or criminal procedure exam; allowing more time for the completion of the exam; and an interview process for candidates who have been unsuccessful after three attempts. Many views were expressed, and I think it is fair to say that most were in favour of some change. I thank all of those who attended. The 5-Year Panel hopes to be able to make its recommendations to Bar Council by the end of March.