Ceremonial Sitting of the Full Court
To receive announcement of the appointment of senior counsel in and for the state of Victoria
Transcript of proceedings
THE HONOURABLE DEBRA MORTIMER, CHIEF JUSTICE
THE HONOURABLE JUSTICE MURPHY
THE HONOURABLE JUSTICE MOSHINSKY
THE HONOURABLE JUSTICE BROMWICH
THE HONOURABLE JUSTICE O’CALLAGHAN
THE HONOURABLE JUSTICE THAWLEY
THE HONOURABLE JUSTICE WHEELAHAN
THE HONOURABLE JUSTICE SNADEN
THE HONOURABLE JUSTICE ROFE
THE HONOURABLE JUSTICE MCEVOY
THE HONOURABLE JUSTICE HESPE
THE HONOURABLE JUSTICE KENNETT
THE HONOURABLE JUSTICE BUTTON
THE HONOURABLE JUSTICE HORAN
THE HONOURABLE JUSTICE DOWLING
THE HONOURABLE JUSTICE YOUNAN
THE HONOURABLE JUSTICE BENNETT
THE HONOURABLE JUSTICE HILL
MELBOURNE
10.23 AM, MONDAY, 24 NOVEMBER 2025
MORTIMER CJ: Ms Ryan, President of the Victorian Bar Association – do you move?
MS F. RYAN SC: Thank you, your Honour. If the Court pleases, I appear on behalf of the Victorian Bar. The Bar takes pride in those of its members who have recently been appointed Senior Counsel in and for the State of Victoria. May it please the Court.
MORTIMER CJ: Thank you, Ms Ryan. Mr Chiappi
MR P. CHIAPPI SC: I have the honour to announce that I have been appointed as Senior Counsel in and for the State of Victoria, taking precedence next after Matthew Huber.
MORTIMER CJ: Thank you, Mr Chiappi. Mr Glynn
MR D. GLYNN SC: I have the honour to announce that I have been appointed Senior Counsel in and for the State of Victoria, taking precedence next after Mr Chiappi.
MORTIMER CJ: Thank you, Mr Glynn. Mr Ginsbourg
MR S. GINSBOURG SC: I have the honour to announce that I have been appointed as Senior Counsel in and for the State of Victoria, taking precedence next after Mr David Glynn.
MORTIMER CJ: Thank you, Mr Ginsbourg. Mr McAloon
MR D. McALOON SC: I have the honour to announce that I have been appointed as Senior Counsel in and for the State of Victoria, taking precedence after Mr Ginsbourg.
MORTIMER CJ: Thank you, Mr McAloon. Ms Fitzgerald
MS S. FITZGERALD SC: I have the honour to announce that I have been appointed as Senior Counsel in and for the State of Victoria, taking precedence next after Mr Damian McAloon.
MORTIMER CJ: Thank you, Ms Fitzgerald. Mr Scotter
MR T. SCOTTER SC: I have the honour to announce that I have been appointed as Senior Counsel in and for the State of Victoria, taking precedence next after Ms Fitzgerald.
MORTIMER CJ: Thank you, Mr Scotter. Mr Cameron
MR A. CAMERON SC: I have the honour to announce that I have been appointed as Senior Counsel in and for the State of Victoria, taking precedence next after Mr Timothy Scotter.
MORTIMER CJ: Thank you, Mr Cameron. Mr Gibson
MR B. GIBSON SC: I have the honour to announce that I have been appointed as Senior Counsel in and for the State of Victoria, taking precedence next after Mr Cameron.
MORTIMER CJ: Thank you, Mr Gibson. Ms Folie
MS A. FOLIE SC: I have the honour to announce that I have been appointed as Senior Counsel in and for the State of Victoria, taking precedence next after Mr Gibson.
MORTIMER CJ: Thank you, Ms Folie. Mr Gisonda
MR E. GISONDA SC: I have the honour to announce that I have been appointed as Senior Counsel in and for the State of Victoria, taking precedence next after Ms Folie.
MORTIMER CJ: Thank You, Mr Gisonda. Mr Creighton-Selvay
MR P. CREIGHTON-SELVAY SC: I have the honour to announce that I have been appointed as Senior Counsel in and for the State of Victoria, taking precedence next after Mr Gisonda.
MORTIMER CJ: Thank you, Mr Creighton-Selvay. Mr Clarke
MR M. CLARKE SC: I have the honour to announce that I have been appointed as Senior Counsel in and for the State of Victoria, taking precedence next after Mr Peter Creighton-Selvay.
MORTIMER CJ: Thank You, Mr Clarke. Ms Fisken
MS S. FISKEN SC: I have the honour to announce that I have been appointed as Senior Counsel in and for the State of Victoria, taking precedence next after Mr Clarke.
MORTIMER CJ: Thank you, Ms Fisken. Mr Kumar
MR R. KUMAR SC: I have the honour to announce that I have been appointed a Senior Counsel in and for the State of Victoria, taking precedence next after Ms Fisken.
MORTIMER CJ: Thank you, Mr Kumar. Ms Keating
MS S. KEATING SC: I have the honour to announce that I have been appointed as Senior Counsel in and for the State of Victoria, taking precedence next after Mr Romesh Kumar.
MORTIMER CJ: Thank you, Ms Keating. Mr Bongiorno
MR D. BONGIORNO SC: I have the honour to announce that I have been appointed as Senior Counsel in and for the State of Victoria, taking precedence after Ms Sarah Keating.
MORTIMER CJ: Thank you, Mr Bongiorno. Ms Dowsett
MS C. DOWSETT SC: I have the honour to announce that I have been appointed Senior Counsel in and for the State of Victoria, taking precedence next after Mr Bongiorno.
MORTIMER CJ: Thank you, Ms Dowsett. Ms Churchill
MS K. CHURCHILL SC: I have the honour to announce that I have been appointed as Senior Counsel in and for the State of Victoria, taking precedence next after Ms Dowsett.
MORTIMER CJ: Thank you, Ms Churchill. Mr Loxley
MR K. LOXLEY SC: I have the honour to announce that I have been appointed as Senior Counsel in and for the State of Victoria, taking precedence next after Ms Kristie Churchill.
MORTIMER CJ: Thank you, Mr Loxley. Ms Gold
MS S. GOLD SC: I have the honour to announce that I have been appointed as Senior Counsel in and for the State of Victoria, taking precedence next after Mr Kane Loxley.
MORTIMER CJ: Thank you, Ms Gold. Ms Kelly
MS S. KELLY SC: I have the honour to announce that I have been appointed as Senior Counsel in and for the State of Victoria, taking precedence next after Ms Stella Gold.
MORTIMER CJ: Thank you, Ms Kelly. Well, a warm welcome to you all, and a special welcome to all the families, colleagues and friends of those Senior Counsel announcing their appointment today. It is a very special day. I’m sorry you got held up at security. The ceremony we’re having today is taking place on the Traditional Country of the People of the Eastern Kulin Nation. At the Australian Legal Convention last week, Ngunnawal elder, Aunty Violet Sheridan spoke of the unsettled history of our nation, and how that unsettled history continues to play out for our First Nations Peoples.
As you all take a significant step in your legal careers, I ask each of you to reflect on what contribution you can make, as Senior Counsel, to answering the modern challenges of our justice system, and what they – and what that justice system – how that justice system affects First Nations Peoples. This morning, we engage in a ritual which is brief, but has several purposes. It provides an opportunity for the Federal Court, as a National institution, to acknowledge and congratulate those who have been appointed in this State, as we do in other States. The ceremony takes place in public, which is the way the Court conducts all its business, subject to limited exceptions.
And this reinforces the public significance of you all joining the ranks of the Senior Bar, and holding a special position as Officers of the Court, and as participants in the administration of justice. Thirdly, this ceremony is a chance for you to celebrate an important milestone in your practice of the law, as a group, and with the friends, colleagues and families who have supported and encouraged you to reach this point. Appointment as Senior Counsel recognises that each of you have been assessed as having the necessary personal and professional qualities, and the expertise and experience to be marked out from other members of the Senior Bar.
With the feelings of pride and achievement that I know you will all have today comes considerable responsibility. Courts and all participants in the legal system are entitled to expect that Senior Counsel will observe the highest standards of integrity, respect and professional behaviour. They are entitled to expect that you will know your craft and strive to be of assistance to the Court, in not only representing your clients’ interests, but in serving the administration of justice. You will each now model those values and qualities to the Juniors that you lead, to the Juniors that you mentor, and to Counsel that you appear against.
You will model those values and qualities as an Officer of the Court and as an important contributor to public confidence in our legal system. On behalf of my judicial colleagues on the Federal Court, the Court’s Registrars and its Staff, I congratulate each of you on your appointments. Bask in the glory today, because tomorrow, the hard work starts. Thank you for your attendance today, and thank you, especially, to all the members of the profession, but more, to all those families and – members of your family, and your friends, who have come to support you. Please adjourn the court.
