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New judges named in NSW, Queensland and Victoria
In the past week, the attorneys-general of NSW, Queensland and Victoria have made judicial appointments for their state’s Local Court, District Court and Supreme Court, respectively.
Jerome Doraisamy
NSW Local Court
Ms Hopgood began her career working at the Children’s Legal Service at the Legal Aid Commission NSW and went on to join the Aboriginal Legal Service (ALS), where she has worked for the last six years in a variety of leadership positions, including as principal solicitor, justice projects, policy and practice.
Mr Herridge began his career in England, where he headed a civil and family litigation department in a suburban London practice before going on to specialise in child protection and represented children and adults at all levels, including the UK High Court. Since moving to Australia in 2005, he has held various positions, including within the then Department of Community Services (now Department of Communities and Justice) and the Hawkesbury Nepean Legal Centre.
“Ms Hopgood and Mr Herridge have had exceptional careers as solicitors and will bring their extensive experience to the Local Court,” A-G Daley said.
“Ms Hopgood comes to the Local Court with impressive credentials and experience as a practising solicitor of 14 years, most recently with the Aboriginal Legal Service. Ms Hopgood and Mr Herridge will be welcome additions to the NSW Local Court when they are sworn in early in June.”
Qld District Court
In the Sunshine State, Nicholas Andreatidis KC has been named as Queensland’s newest District Court judge, having begun his tenure on 26 May.
Mr Andreatidis was called to the Bar in 2003 and took silk in 2018, and over the course of his career, has appeared in numerous lengthy trials in the Supreme Court of Queensland, the Federal Court, and in arbitrations.
“The breadth of Mr Andreatidis KC’s expertise extends from administrative law, which has seen him act in major mining lease matters, to banking and finance law, where he was involved in a trial regarding the Storm Financial collapse, to building and construction, where he has been retained in numerous multimillion-dollar disputes domestically and internationally,” Queensland A-G Yvette D’Ath said in a statement.
Ms D’ath said that the appointment is “richly deserved”.
“He has built a strong reputation as a hard worker whose courteous manner is appreciated by all who encounter him,” she proclaimed.
“Mr Andreatidis KC wanted to be a lawyer from a young age, and his appointment to the bench is a reflection of his expertise in, and passion for, the law. His record in the courtroom speaks for itself, and he will be another great asset to the ranks of our Queensland judges.”
Victorian Supreme Court and VCAT
Elsewhere, the Victorian government has appointed Judge Ted Woodward to the Supreme Court of Victoria, commencing 5 June 2023.
His Honour will also serve as president of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), with his five-year term to start on 1 July 2023.
Woodward J was appointed as a judge of the County Court of Victoria in 2017 and as a vice president of VCAT in 2018, and he has been head of the commercial division of the County Court since June 2020.
Prior to this, he was a barrister from 1997 to 2017, practising in general commercial litigation, particularly in the areas of corporate insolvency and reconstruction.
His Honour will replace Justice Michelle Quigley, who will continue to serve as president of VCAT until 30 June 2023.
Victorian Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes said: “I congratulate Judge Woodward on his appointment to the Supreme Court — he brings a wealth of knowledge, diversity of experience and a proven commitment to the justice system.”
“VCAT plays a crucial role in helping Victorians to resolve a large number of disputes every year, and I wish Judge Woodward well as he embarks on his appointment to this important tribunal. I thank Justice Quigley for her five years of leadership and dedicated service as the president of VCAT and wish her well for her return to the Supreme Court.”
Jerome Doraisamy
Jerome Doraisamy is the editor of Lawyers Weekly. A former lawyer, he has worked at Momentum Media as a journalist on Lawyers Weekly since February 2018, and has served as editor since March 2022. He is also the host of all five shows under The Lawyers Weekly Podcast Network, and has overseen the brand's audio medium growth from 4,000 downloads per month to over 60,000 downloads per month, making The Lawyers Weekly Show the most popular industry-specific podcast in Australia. Jerome is also the author of The Wellness Doctrines book series, an admitted solicitor in NSW, and a board director of Minds Count.
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