- Published:
- Tuesday 3 October 2023
The Victorian Government has welcomed the appointment of four new magistrates, who will bring a broad range of expertise to Victoria’s justice system.
Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes today congratulated James Henderson, Carolyn Howe, Adriano Serratore and Allison Vaughan on their appointments to the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria.
James Henderson’s appointment follows five years of service as a senior lawyer at WorkSafe Victoria where he has appeared for the prosecution in a range of occupational health and safety and compensation matters.
He has extensive prosecutorial experience, having worked for the Victorian Office of Public Prosecutions, the NSW Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.
Mr Henderson holds a Bachelor of Arts (Criminal Justice Administration) from RMIT University, a Bachelor of Laws from Monash University and a Master of Laws from the University of Sydney.
Carolyn Howe has served as the principal solicitor at law firm Howe Legal for more than a decade and holds a Bachelor of Law (Honours) from Deakin University.
For the past five years, Ms Howe has concurrently served as a police lawyer where she has represented Victoria Police in criminal and family violence related matters. Her legal practice has been focused on crime, child protection and family law, including supporting Aboriginal people and family violence victim survivors in a range of roles at community legal centres and family violence legal services.
Adriano Serratore has most recently worked as the Deputy General Counsel and Director of Courts and Prosecution Services at Victoria Police. He spent over four years in various leadership roles at the Office of Public Prosecutions where he managed, prepared and appeared in complex criminal proceedings.
From 2013 to 2017, he held several legal roles at the then Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources, providing strategic leadership and contributing to regulatory practice initiatives. He also practised as a criminal defence solicitor and holds a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws from Monash University.
Allison Vaughan’s appointment follows her more than two years serving as a judicial registrar at the Magistrates’ Court, where she has presided over civil and criminal hearings, including those for personal safety intervention orders and residential tenancies.
Before her appointment to the court, she practised as barrister at the Victorian Bar for over a decade, appearing for clients across jurisdictions, providing advice and consultation. Ms Vaughan holds a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws from Deakin University.
Quotes attributable to Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes
“Congratulations to Ms Howe, Mr Serratore, Mr Henderson, and Ms Vaughan on their appointments to the Magistrates’ Court.”
“Each of these appointees brings decades of legal expertise and their unique set of skills to Victoria’s busiest court.”