All members of the Bar and Judiciary are warmly invited to the Dinner on Saturday, 18 May 2024, 7:00pm at the National Gallery of Victoria. The event is black tie and will feature guest speaker the Honourable Justice Robert Beech-Jones of the High Court of Australia.
On Thursday evening, I was honoured to welcome the 47 March 2024 Readers who signed the Bar Roll at a Ceremony held in the Banco Court. On behalf of us all, I congratulated them on their decision to join our Bar and wished them well as they embark upon what I hope will be rewarding careers as independent members of counsel. I also thanked all those who have worked so tirelessly to deliver another successful Readers’ Course: our dedicated Education Team, in particular, Michelle James and Nikki Walker; our Readers’ Course Committee led by Anthony Strahan KC and Ben Ihle KC; and the members of our Bar and the judiciary who so generously give their time to instruct our readers. We are grateful to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court for allowing the Bar to use the Banco Court.
Members of the Bar are invited to attend a “town hall” meeting and share with the Strategic Plan Working Group their thoughts and suggestions about the Victorian Bar Strategic Plan.
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Nadia Deltondo and Nadia Stojanova as the Bar’s new Chief Examiners. Ms. Deltondo and Ms. Stojanova are both members of our Bar and former members of the Standing Exam Review Panel with considerable experience in teaching and assessment. I am confident that, in consultation with the new Exam Committee, the Chief Examiners will set an Exam in October this year that will fulfill all the recommendations of the 5-Year Panel Review Report.
A welcome ceremony to mark the appointment of the Honourable Justice Rowena Orr as a Judge of Appeal of the Supreme Court of Victoria will be held in Banco Court, Supreme Court of Victoria, 210 William Street, Melbourne on:
On Monday, Anthony Strahan KC, members of the Bar Office, and I met with the VLSB Commissioner, Fiona McLeay, and VLSB policy manager, Michelle Marfurt, to discuss the changes to the Bar Exam and Readers’ Course. While the Victorian Bar has the necessary delegated power to make the changes, the VLSB+C takes a keen interest in how we exercise that delegation. We discussed the proposal to shorten the Readers’ Course and deliver some of the current course content later during the reading period when readers have commenced practice as barristers. We are very grateful to Ms McLeay and the VLSB for their careful consideration of the changes that we are making.
The Honourable Chief Justice Anne Ferguson has advised that the Executive Council has appointed Rowena Jane Orr KC as a Judge of Appeal of the Supreme Court of Victoria, effective 18 April 2024.
Details of the welcome ceremony will be advised when they are known.
It is with deep regret that the Bar informs members of the death of Arthur William Adams KC. Arthur attended Xavier College and then Melbourne University before signing the Bar Roll on 22 April 1965 and reading with the Honourable Kenneth Joseph Jenkinson. He had five Readers, Timothy Doherty, William Calanchini, Reginald Egan, Grant Fraser and Kerry Clancy, and was appointed silk on 05 December 1995.