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Western Australia has appointed new solicitor general while the role’s salary has been boosted to take into account the retention of the new recruit’s right to limited private practice.
Western Australia has appointed new solicitor general while the role’s salary has been boosted to take into account the retention of the new recruit’s right to limited private practice.
Attorney General Christian Porter announced the permanent appointment of Grant Donaldson SC as the Solicitor General for WA, who provides the state with legal and constitutional advice and appear in High Court litigation in which the state is involved, replaces Robert Meadows QC, who was acting in the position.
The Attorney General said the solicitor general’s salary adjustment is a slight change to previous practice, which was based on the system in Queensland. The system had been designed to allow Government to attract the most senior counsel from the bar, as in Donaldson’s case.
Funding for the appointment has already been allocated to the Department of the Attorney General.
Donaldson will begin his new role on Monday 27 February.
On the new appointment, the Attorney General said: “Donaldson’s varied breadth and quality of legal and courtroom experience make him an ideal permanent appointment to the position.”
“He has an appreciation of wider public policy issues as well as experience in commercial, private and criminal law litigation.”
Donaldson is replacing Robert Mitchell SC, who has been acting in the role since June 2011.
The new solicitor general said his predecessor’s legal knowledge and expertise have proved invaluable on a wide range of matters.
The former Solicitor General, Mr Robert Meadows QC, retired from the position on July 18, 2011. On June 28, 2011, Mitchell was appointed on an acting basis for a period of 12 months or until a permanent appointment was made.
Donaldson was admitted to practice in WA in 1987, having completed a Bachelor of Jurisprudence and Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from The University of WA, and a Bachelor of Civil Law from Oxford University. He was the WA Rhodes Scholar in 1986. Since 1998, Mr Donaldson SC has practised as a barrister at Francis Burt Chambers and was appointed Senior Counsel in 2004.
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