- Published:
- Friday 28 October 2022
The Andrews Labor Government today announced the appointment of four new judges and 10 magistrates to the justice system.
The Court of Appeal will benefit from the expertise and sound knowledge of the law with the appointment of Supreme Court judge Lesley Taylor. Justice Taylor will fill the vacancy arising from the elevation of Justice Karin Emerton to President of the Court of Appeal.
Justice Taylor was appointed to the Supreme Court of Victoria in 2018. Prior to this, she practised as a lawyer for 25 years, including 20 years as a barrister at the Victorian Bar, where she took silk in 2011.
Between 2004 and 2005, Justice Taylor served as senior trial counsel at the Office of the Prosecutor in Sierra Leone. Following this, she served as senior counsel assisting the Independent Commission of Inquiry into Timor-Leste in 2006 and was later senior adviser to the Special Independent Commission Inquiry into Kyrgyzstan in 2011.
The County Court will be strengthened with the addition of:
- Aine Magee KC, a barrister at the Victorian Bar where she specialised predominately in personal injury law in the Supreme and County Courts and in coronial inquests.
- Barbara Myers KC, a barrister at the Victorian Bar where she specialised in common law, insurance law and personal injury law.
- John Kelly SC, a barrister at the Victorian Bar who was appointed as Senior Counsel in 2016 and has extensive criminal trial experience in higher courts across Australia.
The judges will fill vacancies from the retirements of Judges William Stuart, Robert Dyer and Phillip Coish.
Appointments to the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria each bring a depth and diversity of experience and a strong commitment to serving the Victorian public. These include:
- Belinda Franjic, a barrister at the Victorian Bar.
- Heather Lambrick, a Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal member.
- Megan Casey, a barrister at the Victorian Bar.
- Vincenzo Caltabiano, a director at Tasmania Legal Aid.
- Malcolm Thomas, a barrister at the Victorian Bar.
- Kathryn Fawcett, a Judicial Registrar of the Magistrates Court.
- Andrew Sim, a barrister at the Victorian Bar.
- Natalie Heynes, a lawyer at Victoria Legal Aid.
- Leon Fluxman, a Managing Principal Solicitor at the Office of Public Prosecutions.
- Jarrod Williams, a barrister at the Victorian Bar.
Quotes attributable to Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes
“I congratulate our new judicial appointees, who each bring diverse experience and a strong commitment to serving the Victorian public.”
“I would also like to thank Judges William Stuart, Robert Dyer and Phillip Coish for their significant contributions and dedicated service to the County Court of Victoria.”