- Published:
- Tuesday 30 January 2024
The Victorian Government has appointed two new judges to the County Court of Victoria.
Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes congratulated Liberty Sanger OAM and Michael Wise KC on their appointments as judges to the County Court of Victoria.
Ms Sanger began her legal career at Maurice Blackburn Lawyers where she has been the national head of the Personal Injuries Law Division since 2018 and a principal (Partner) since 2003. She led the Victorian Road and Work Injuries Team from 2014 to 2018 and is a Law Institute of Victoria Accredited Specialist in Personal Injury Law.
Ms Sanger holds a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from Monash University. She received the Medal of the Order of Australia for services to the law and the community in 2021 and was inducted into the Victorian Women’s Honour Roll in 2019.
Ms Sanger co-chaired the Ministerial Taskforce on Workplace Sexual Harassment in 2021, served as a panel member on the Inquiry into Economic Equity for Victorian Women in and was a member of the Ministerial Council on Women’s Equality for three years to 2020.
She has also been the chairperson of the Victorian Government’s Equal Workplaces Advisory Council.
Mr Wise signed the Bar Roll in 1992 and was appointed silk in 2017, he holds a Bachelor of Laws from Monash University and has practiced at Dunhill Madden Butler since 1988.
In his 30 years as a barrister, Mr Wise has served on the Victorian Bar News Committee, Indigenous Justice Committee and the Equality and Diversity Committee.
He was also recently listed in the Best Lawyers Australia (Litigation and Trade Law) (2021-23) and the Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guide to the Australian Bar (Leading Silks) (2022-24).
Mr Wise serves as chairperson of the Innovation and Technology Committee at the Victorian Bar and as trustee and deputy chairperson at McClelland Sculpture Park and Gallery.
Ms Sanger and Mr Wise are filling vacancies left by the appointments of Justice Paul Cosgrave to the Supreme Court of Victoria and Judge Peter Wischusen as a reserve judge of the County Court of Victoria.
Quotes attributable to Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes
“I congratulate Ms Sanger and Mr Wise on their appointments and extend my gratitude to Justice Paul Cosgrave and Judge Peter Wischusen for their service to the County Court of Victoria.”
“Ms Sanger and Mr Wise each bring significant experience to their appointments and I look forward to the valuable contribution they will make to our court system.”