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Victorian Bar welcomes 32 new barristers

The Victorian Bar has celebrated the “rich diversity” of its newest members, all of whom completed the readers’ course and graduated into its ranks in the midst of a pandemic.

user iconNaomi Neilson • 26 October 2020 • Big Law
Victorian Bar welcomes 32 new barristers
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A diverse group of 15 female and 17 male barristers has joined the Victorian Bar after completing their readers’ course in the midst of COVID-19. Collectively, they bring with them graduate and postgraduate qualifications, experience in Australia and overseas institutions, expertise in nursing and science fields, and a suite of languages. 

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President Wendy Harris QC said she was pleased to receive the 32 “enthusiastic and experienced legal professionals” who will “make an outstanding contribution to the Bar and the community”. Particularly, Ms Harris has praised the new barristers for willingly taking the “brave step” of joining the Victorian Bar in the midst of the global pandemic. 

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“They join a vibrant and diverse college of barristers who serve the community and will contribute to the administration of justice,” Ms Harris said. “I’d also like to express our gratitude to their mentors, experienced members of the Bar who will guide and support the barristers throughout their first seven-months of practice.”

Chief executive Katherine Lorenz added the ceremony represents a “monumental achievement” for the new barristers. As new readers, they completed 140 online workshops, moots and webinars despite distractions from “blending home and work life”. 

“We were delighted that we were able to offer the Readers’ Course entirely remotely, so that these 32 new barristers could sign the Bar Roll and commence their practices as they had anticipated,” Ms Lorenz said, adding: “We look forward to seeing these new barristers flourish in their careers at the Victorian Bar.” 

The new members are:

  •     Simon Thomas
  •     Amel Masinovic 
  •     Jayr Teng
  •     Bridie Kelly
  •     Tessa Meyrick
  •     Katie Powell
  •     Heather Anderson
  •     Patrick Coleridge
  •     Fiona Martin
  •     Shannon Jenkins
  •     Dara Isaacson
  •     Angus Macaskill
  •     Anna Martin
  •     Merys Williams
  •     Rhiannon Malone
  •     Alexander Marcou
  •     Todd Allen
  •     Benjamin Bromberg
  •     Rose Singleton 
  •     Rebecca McCarthy
  •     Gemma Cafarella
  •     Nicholas Kotzman
  •     Melania Albarella
  •     Tanya Kamil
  •     Julian Murphy
  •     Shannon Finegan
  •     Shahed Sharify
  •     Alexander Di Stefano
  •     Joshua Lessing
  •     Harry Hill-Smith
  •     Paul Jeffreys
  •     Bradley Hardisty
The Victorian Bar also extended its readers’ course to two interstate participants, Helen Luu and Mardi Conduit, who will be joining the South Australian Bar. Another reader, Chris O'Donnell, who completed the course virtually from his home in Moscow, will be signing the bar roll when he returns to Melbourne.

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