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Leading barristers appointed to coveted rank of senior counsel in NSW and Victoria

The NSW Bar Association and Victorian Bar have announced a suite of new appointees to senior counsel for 2020.

user iconNaomi Neilson 05 October 2020 Big Law
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An annual senior counsel (SC) announcement has this year appointed 26 barristers in NSW and 18 to Victoria. Among NSW are six female SC appointees and five in Victoria. 

Each July, the NSW Bar Association considers applications alongside a committee for selection, which takes into account the large number of barristers, solicitors and other members of the state and federal judiciary. This year, 108 applicants applied. 

“The appointment of senior counsel provides a public identification of barristers whose standing and competence have justified an expectation, on part of those who may need their services, as well as on part of the judiciary, that they will provide with outstanding services as advocates and advisers to the good of the administration,” the bar wrote. 

On the list is veteran Crown prosecutor Frank Veltro, a prominent defamation barrister known for the Geoffrey Rush proceedings, Sue Chrysanthou, and a fellow defamation expert, Richard Potter. Also joining them is Sophie Callan, who is currently prosecuting NSW Labor minister Eddie Obeid and Jason Downing who was best known for his work as counsel assisting the coroner in an inquest into the death of David Dungay. 

Included in the Victorian list is Megan Tittensor, one of the counsel assisting the work of the Lawyer X inquiry. She is joined by leading barrister Peter Fary, a Victorian Legal Aid criminal trial preferred barrister, Christopher Carr and prominent criminal lawyer Elizabeth Ruddle who assisted in many high-profile trials. 

The complete list of NSW, in order of the length of service at the bar, are: 

  •     Frank Veltro
  •     Jason Downing
  •     Andrew Fernon
  •     Vahan Bedrossian
  •     Ken McKay
  •     Jodi Steele
  •     Justin Hogan-Doran
  •     Ben Katekar
  •     Madeleine Avenell
  •     Andre Zahra
  •     Andrew Harding
  •     Sue Chrysanthou 
  •     Richard Potter
  •     Thomas Brennan
  •     James Emmett
  •     Christopher Withers
  •     Angus Lang
  •     Houda Younan
  •     Sophie Callan
  •     Justin Williams
  •     Yaseen Shariff
  •     Chloe Burnett
  •     David Lloyd
  •     Jonathon Redwood
  •     Perry Herzfeld
  •     Tim Castle 
The Victorian Bar’s complete list is: 

  •     Donald Farrands
  •     Patrick Bourke
  •     Peter Fary
  •     Timothy Puckey
  •     Julianne Jacques
  •     Lisa Hannon
  •     Patrick Wheelahan
  •     Justin Graham
  •     Peter Wallis
  •     Megan Tittensor
  •     Alistair Pound
  •     Paul Vout
  •     Sandra Goubran
  •     Christopher Carr
  •     Daniel McInerney
  •     Georgina Coghlan
  •     Elizabeth Ruddle
  •     Benno Ihle

Naomi Neilson

Naomi Neilson

Naomi Neilson is a senior journalist with a focus on court reporting for Lawyers Weekly. 

You can email Naomi at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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