Court Appointments for May 2016

The Commonwealth Attorney General, George Brandis, has recently announced several new judicial appointments to the Federal Court of Australia as well as the Federal Circuit Court of Australia and the Family Court.

Federal Court Appointment

In the Federal Court, Stephen Burley SC has been appointed in the Sydney Federal Court registry. Mr. Burley has almost thirty years of experience in legal practice. He was called to the Bar in 1993 and appointed Senior Council in 2007. His principal areas of practice include intellectual property law, administrative law and competition and trade practices law.

Mr Burley began his appointment on 23 May 2016 after the retirement of the Hon Justice Annabelle Bennett QC.

Family Court Appointment

The Canberra Family Court also saw the appointment of Mr Shane Gill on 16 May 2016. He was admitted to practice as a barrister in the High Court of Australia and a barrister and solicitor in the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory in 1992, and was called to the Bar in 2003. Mr Gill is the President of the Australian Capital Territory Bar Association and a Director of the Australian Bar Association and the Law Council of Australia.

Federal Circuit Court Appointments

In the Melbourne registry of the Federal Circuit Court, Mr Alistair McNab commenced his appointment on 18 May 2016. He was admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria in 1988 and signed the Bar Roll in 1990. Mr McNab specialises in commercial law, discrimination law, and employment and industrial law.

Meanwhile, the Parramatta registry will see the appointment of Ms Brana Obradovic who will commence her appointment on 30 May 2016. Ms Obradovic has a had nuanced legal career since her call to the bar in 1998. Ms Obradovic’s areas of practice are bankruptcy, civil and human rights, discrimination, commercial law, equity law, family law, industrial and employment law, international law and workplace health and safety.

In Launceston, Mr Terrence McGuire will fill the vacancy of his predecessor, Judge Stuart Roberts, who will retire on 19 June 2016. Mr McGuire will join the registry prior to Judge Robert’s retirement. Mr McGuire studied Arts and Law at the University of Tasmania before being admitted to the Bar. During his career as a barrister, Judge McGuire was a well-known and greatly respected member of the legal profession in northern Tasmania.

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Appointments to the Federal Courts