A barrister is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdictions. Barristers mostly specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include taking cases in superior courts and tribunals, drafting legal pleadings, researching the law and giving expert legal opinions.
In the United Kingdom and in some Commonwealth countries, a King's Counsel during the reign of a king, or Queen's Counsel during the reign of a queen, is a lawyer who is typically a senior trial lawyer. Technically appointed by the monarch of the country to be one of 'His [Her] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law', the position originated in England and Wales. Some Commonwealth countries have either abolished the position, or renamed it so as to remove monarchical connotations, for example, 'Senior counsel' or 'Senior Advocate'.
The call to the bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions where persons must be qualified to be allowed to argue in court on behalf of another party and are then said to have been "called to the bar" or to have received "call to the bar". "The bar" is now used as a collective noun for barristers, but literally referred to the wooden barrier in old courtrooms, which separated the often crowded public area at the rear from the space near the judges reserved for those having business with the court. Barristers would sit or stand immediately behind it, facing the judge, and could use it as a table for their briefs.
The title of Senior Counsel or State Counsel is given to a senior lawyer in some countries that were formerly part of the British Empire. "Senior Counsel" is used in current or former Commonwealth countries or jurisdictions that have chosen to change the title "King's Counsel" to a name without monarchical connotations, usually related to the British monarch that is no longer head of state, such that reference to the King is no longer appropriate. Examples of jurisdictions which have made the change because of the latter reason include Mauritius, Zambia, India, Hong Kong, Ireland, South Africa, Kenya, Malawi, Singapore, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. Jurisdictions which have retained the monarch as head of state, but have nonetheless opted for the new title include some states and territories of Australia, as well as Belize.
The Hong Kong Bar Association (HKBA) is the professional regulatory body for barristers in Hong Kong. The Law Society of Hong Kong is the equivalent association for solicitors in Hong Kong.
Susan Maree Crennan, is a former Justice of the High Court of Australia, the highest court in the Australian court hierarchy.
Alex Chernov, is an Australian lawyer, judge and barrister who served as the 28th Governor of Victoria, from 2011 to 2015. Chernov also served as Vice-President of the Australian Bar Association, from 1986 to 1987, President of the Law Council of Australia, from 1990 to 1991, and the 20th Chancellor of Melbourne University, from 2009 to 2011.
Michael Rozenes is the former Chief Judge of the County Court of Victoria, an intermediate court in Victoria, Australia. He presided over the County Court for thirteen years, retiring in June 2015.
John David Phillips KC is an Australian lawyer and judge who served on the Supreme Court of Victoria from 1990 to 2004.
The Public Interest Law Clearing House (PILCH) was a not-for-profit legal referral service, operated from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It was founded in 1994, following the model of New York Lawyers for the Public Interest.
Emilios Kyrou is a judge of the Court of Appeal, Supreme Court of Victoria, in the Australian state of Victoria. Justice Kyrou was previously a justice in the Trial Division.
Donnell Michael Ryan is a barrister, solicitor and former Judge of the Federal Court of Australia. He served on the Federal Court of Australia from 29 September 1986 until 2 June 2011. He is currently a member of the Victorian Bar.
Simon Molesworth AO, KC is an Australian barrister, environmentalist and diplomat. With an experience extending over 35 years of community leadership and corporate governance, Molesworth has been a director of some 22 corporations and chairman or president of 14.
Ian Freckelton is an Australian barrister, judge, international academic, and high-profile legal scholar and jurist. He is known for his extensive writing and speaking in more than 30 countries on issues related to health law, expert evidence, criminal law, tort law, therapeutic jurisprudence and research integrity. Freckelton is a member of the Victorian Bar Association, the Tasmanian Bar Association, and the Northern Territory Bar Association in Australia.
Philip Mandie KC, was a judge on the Supreme Court of Victoria from May 1994 to August 2012. He was Judge in charge of the Commercial List (1995–2001), Corporations List and Victorian Taxation Appeals List (2007–2009); Chair of the Supreme Court Library Investment Committee (2002–2012), sometime member of the Supreme Court Executive Committee, Library Committee and Chair of the Supreme Court IT Committee.
Fiona Margaret McLeod is an Australian barrister practising at the Victorian Bar.
The Australian Bar Association (ABA) is the peak body representing more than 6,000 barristers throughout Australia.
Wendy Anne Harris is an Australian barrister, former president of the Victorian Bar and past president of the Commercial Bar Association of Victoria. She is a commercial barrister and King's Counsel specialising in complex disputes, transactional advice and class actions.
Stewart Maxwell Anderson is an Australian jurist and a judge of the Federal Court of Australia. Formerly a highly regarded barrister experienced in commercial litigation, Anderson was appointed to the Federal Court in 2019.
Timothy McEvoy is a judge of the Federal Court in Australia. He was appointed by Christian Porter and has served in the position since 26 April 2022. McEvoy acted as pro-bono lawyer to former Prime Minister Tony Abbott in a defamation claim against unionist John Setka in 2013-2014. McEvoy initially served on the Family Court of Australia. His appointment was met with criticism owing to his lack of experience in family law at the time. McEvoy is an alumnus of the University of Melbourne, from which he holds a bachelor degrees in arts and law, as well as a Master of Laws. In 1998, McEvoy obtained Doctor of Juridical Science from the University of Virginia. He then commenced his legal career as an Associate to then Chief Justice of the Federal Court in 1994 and was admitted to the Supreme Court of Victoria and High Court of Australia in 1996. After spending time working in private practice at Herbert Smith Freehills, McEvoy was admitted to the Victorian Bar where he practised as a barrister until his appointment to the Family Court.
