Published date: Wednesday, 5 December 2018

Justice Lucy McCallum will be elevated to the Court of Appeal and Sydney solicitor Trish Henry will be appointed to the bench of the Supreme Court, Attorney General Mark Speakman announced today.

“Justice McCallum has over three decades of legal experience including 10 years on the bench, a 17-year career at the bar, three of those as Senior Counsel, and stints as a prosecutor for the Offices of the Commonwealth and Queensland Director of Public Prosecutions. Her Honour’s new appointment is richly deserved,” Mr Speakman said.

Justice McCallum has presided over hundreds of criminal and civil proceedings including the conviction of insider trader Oliver Curtis and the high profile trial of Simon Gittany who was found guilty of murdering his girlfriend Lisa Harnum.

Ms Henry joins the Supreme Court Bench after an impressive career as a solicitor culminating with her appointment to the board of top-tier law firm King &Wood Mallesons Australia where she was a Senior Partner of the dispute resolution team.

“Ms Henry has been practising law for 30 years and is a telecommunications, competition and consumer law litigator who is recognised as a leader in her field,” Mr Speakman said.

Justice McCallum replaces Justice Ruth McColl AO who retires on 27 January and Ms Henry replaces Justice Robert McDougall who leaves the bench on 31 January.

Mr Speakman thanked Justice McColl who has served with distinction as a judge of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal since 2003.

“Justice McColl has been an inspiration for women in the legal profession, joining the Bar in 1980, taking silk in 1994 and serving as president of the NSW Bar Association before her Honour’s appointment to the bench,” he said.

Mr Speakman also paid tribute to Justice McDougall who is retiring after 15 years as a judge of the Supreme Court.

“His Honour is one of the longest serving legal professionals in NSW with a career that spans four decades. He was appointed a Queen’s Counsel in 1990 and served 28 years at the Bar before joining the Supreme Court bench,” he said.

Justice McCallum and Ms Henry will start their new appointments at the end of January. Ms Henry will be sworn in on 30 January 2019.