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NSW Bar appoints 19 new senior counsel
Outgoing president of the NSW Bar Association Arthur Moses SC last week announced 19 barristers have been appointed to the level of senior counsel.
Jerome Doraisamy
The designation of certain barristers as senior counsel by Mr Moses is in accordance with published principles and intended to serve the public interest, NSW Bar said in a statement.
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“The appointment of senior counsel provides a public identification of barristers whose standing and competence justify an expectation, on the part of those who may need their services, as well as on the part of the judiciary, that they will provide outstanding service as advocates and advisers, to the good of the administration of justice.”
The new senior counsel are: Neil Adams (Crown Prosecutors Chambers Sydney), Lee Carr (Crown Prosecutors Newcastle – Mark Sherring Chambers), Paresh Khandhar (Frederick Jordan Chambers), Shane Prince (State Chambers), Farid Assaf and Kristen Deards (Banco Chambers), Edward Cox (Greenway Chambers), Mark Dennis and Simon Buchen (Forbes Chambers), Dominic Villa (New Chambers), Mark Gibian (H B Higgins Chambers), Neil Murray (Tenth Floor Selbourne/Wentworth Chambers), Suzanna Christie (Culwulla Chambers), Tunc Ozen (Public Defender Chambers), Anna Mitchelmore and David Thomas (Sixth Floor Selbourne/Wentworth Chambers), Vanessa Whitaker, Michael Izzo and Stephen Free (Eleven Wentworth).
Speaking about the new appointees, Mr Moses tweeted the following: “I congratulate the members of the NSW Bar appointed as senior counsel today. Each of these women and men understand the importance of discharging the duties of this important role in their service to the law and the community.”
In a conversation with Lawyers Weekly, he also noted that he was grateful for the work of the 2018 selection committee who assisted in the very difficult task of assessing the candidates for appointment as senior counsel.
“In particular, I would like to thank the Honourable Catherine Branson AC QC, and Bunja Smith, the chair of the Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT). Both Catherine and Bunja played a very important role on the selection committee and the Bar Council owes them a debt of gratitude,” he said.
“Those appointed to the office of senior counsel must be dedicated to upholding the rights of all members of the community and have the confidence of the community that we serve as the bar. The appointment of the Honourable Catherine Branson AC QC, a former Justice of the Federal Court and President of the Australian Human Rights Commission and Bunja Smith to the selection committee was important to ensure that we focus on these critical qualities of a senior counsel when considering appointments.”
