Marking Justice Virginia Bell AC's retirement and new judicial appointments

Ceremonial sittings marking retirements from the bench or new judicial appointments are one of the fine traditions of our state’s legal system and, I have to say, attending them is an incredibly rewarding aspect of my role as President.

Last Friday I had the honour of speaking on behalf of the solicitors of NSW at a ceremonial sitting in Sydney to mark the retirement of the Honourable Justice Virginia Bell AC from the High Court of Australia. It was a welcome opportunity to pay tribute to Justice Bell’s years of continuous service to our state and our nation including her early years working as a solicitor at Sydney’s Redfern Legal Centre - where she pushed for the establishment of a Prisoner’s Legal Service and was involved in a number of landmark civil liberties cases, including the defence for 53 people arrested during the inaugural Mardi Gras Parade, known as the 78’ers.

Justice Bell has had an amazing career, including 22 years as a judge, during which she has often found herself ahead of the institutions she served. She has been an inspiration for a generation of lawyers and an icon, especially for women lawyers. I wish her well in her much-deserved retirement.

Earlier today, the Law Society was also represented at a Full Bench ceremony to mark the swearing-in of Robyn Richardson as a Magistrate of the Local Court of NSW. Magistrate Richardson, who worked first as a youth worker and then in public policy before becoming a criminal defence lawyer, has a profound understanding of criminal law matters (which the Law Society benefited from when she served on the Law Society’s Criminal Law Committee). Magistrate Richardson will bring a wealth of knowledge and personal integrity to the Local Court of NSW and we warmly welcome her appointment to the bench. In the coming weeks, the Law Society looks forward to welcoming solicitor Nicole Ford and barristers Melissa Humphreys, Kirralee Tennant and Justin Peach to the Local Court bench.

In the meantime, I am excited about my upcoming visit to Ballina, Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie on the state’s north coast where I will be meeting with fellow practitioners, promoting the great work they are carrying out and visiting local family and domestic violence support services.

Juliana Warner, President, the Law Society of NSW

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