Media Release | 30 August 2010

Attorney-General, Delia Lawrie, today announced Peter Barr as the latest appointment to the Northern Territory’s Supreme Court Bench.

“Mr Barr has been a prominent member of the Territory’s legal community for many years and brings 34 years of legal experience to the bench,” Ms Lawrie said.

“Working as an independent barrister in the Territory for 17 years, Mr Barr has a respected legal mind, is known for his quick wit and has wide range of experience in personal injury, medical negligence, commercial and real property law and Aboriginal land claims.

“Mr Barr has been a Royal Australian Naval Specialist Reserve Legal Officer since 1977 and an active member of the Northern Territory community.”

Mr Barr will be sworn in next month and takes up the position following the appointment of Justice Riley as Chief Justice of the Northern Territory Supreme Court.

BIOGRAPHY

Peter Barr graduated from Sydney University with a Bachelor of Laws in 1976 and was admitted as a legal practitioner to Territory’s Supreme Court in the same year.

Mr Barr worked as a solicitor with Cridland and Bauer (now Cridlands MB) and went on to work as a sole practitioner from 1979 to 1991.

Mr Barr has been a RAN Specialist Reserve Legal Officer since 1977. He also acts as a part-time Chairperson of the NT Disciplinary Appeal Board for the Public Sector and has also service as Acting Chairman of the NT Planning Authority.

Mr Barr speaks French fluently and speaks some Italian and holds dual Australian and Irish citizenship.

Media Release | 22 July 2010

Attorney-General, Delia Lawrie, today announced Justice Trevor Riley as the Northern Territory’s new Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

“Justice Riley brings 36 years of legal service in the Territory to the position of Chief Justice, including more than a decade on the Supreme Court bench,” Ms Lawrie said.

Justice Riley has contributed to the development of the Territory’s legal sector including as a Member of the Law Faculty Board, lecturing at Charles Darwin University and recently as Chairman of the Indigenous Law Students Mentoring Program.

Justice Riley is also a convener with the National Judicial College of Australia and is well regarded for his considerable involvement in the Territory community supporting a range of organisations including St John Ambulance and arts and sporting bodies.

“I would like to once again thank Chief Justice Brian Martin who is retiring from the position in September,” Ms Lawrie said.

Justice Riley will take up the position upon the retirement of the current Chief Justice. A ceremonial sitting for the retirement of Chief Justice Martin will be held on August 20.

BIOGRAPHY

Justice Riley graduated with a Batchelor of Laws from the University of Western Australia in 1969.

After practising in Western Australia, in 1974 Justice Riley moved to the Territory where he was employed as a solicitor with Withnall and Barker.

From 1988 to 1991 he was counsel in the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.

Justice Riley was appointed as a Queen’s Counsel in 1989 and was President of the Northern Territory Bar Association from 1993 to 1997.

He was appointed to the Supreme Court Bench in February 1999. He is a former member of the Legal Practitioners Complaints Committee, the Law Reform Committee, the Public Purposes Trust and the Legal Practitioners Admission Board.

During his time in the Territory Justice Riley has been an active member of the Northern Territory Football League and involved in other sports.

Justice Riley is married to Jan and has a son, Shane and a daughter, Jennifer.

Media Release | 28 July 2010

Attorney-General, Delia Lawrie, today announced Ms Hilary Hannam as the Northern Territory’s new Chief Magistrate.

“Ms Hannam brings to the Territory a wealth of experience and knowledge with 26 years of legal experience,” Ms Lawrie said.

“Ms Hannam has been a Magistrate in New South Wales for ten years and has spent the past three years as a Children’s Magistrate, including in the New South Wales Youth Drug and Alcohol Court.”

“Ms Hannam has a deep understanding of the managerial and judicial requirements in the conduct of a successful magistrate’s court service, having acted as the President of the Children’s Court of New South Wales.

“She also holds the position of President of the New South Wales Magistrates Association.” 

Ms Hannam has a particular interest in Aboriginal justice issues and will take up the position on Monday 16 August 2010. 

BIOGRAPHY

Ms Hannam graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Arts in 1982 and a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) in 1984. 

Ms Hannam was employed in Sydney as a solicitor with the major commercial law firm, Allen, Allen & Hemsley until 1985.  From1985 Ms Hannam was employed as a legal officer, senior legal officer and then principal legal officer with the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (Commonwealth DPP).

Ms Hannam remained with the Commonwealth DPP until 1998, spending two years as a consultant with commercial law firm Ebsworth & Ebsworth until her appointment as a Magistrate in 2000.  Since her appointment in 2000, Ms Hannam has presided over courts in Wagga Wagga and Sydney. 

In 2002 Ms Hannam undertook research in the United States on therapeutic courts as part of a Churchill Fellowship, and has presented numerous papers on therapeutic justice and specialist courts.

Since 2008 Ms Hannam has been the President of the Magistrates Association of New South Wales.

Ms Hannam has been an active member of a number of professional committees, including as secretary of the Australian Association of Magistrates in 2006 and 2007. 

Ms Hannam is married to Dr Donald Hannam and has three children, Eliza, Georgina and Angus.