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Magistrates’ Court of Victoria sees 5 new appointees
Victoria’s Magistrates’ Court has welcomed the arrival of five experienced legal professionals.
Emma Musgrave
In an announcement to media, acting Attorney-General Natalie Hutchins confirmed the Victorian government had appointed Cecily Hollingworth, Rohan Lawrence, Cynthia Lynch, Jason Ong, and Matthew White to the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria.
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Ms Hollingworth brings more than 18 years of experience to the role, having primarily practised in criminal law. She’s spent 12 years as a barrister both prosecuting and defending jury trials and has appeared in both state and Commonwealth criminal matters, as well as in coronial inquests and WorkSafe hearings.
Mr Lawrence, who has worked as a barrister since 2008, has appeared in jury trials under both Victorian and Commonwealth criminal legislation as well as public and private hearings conducted by the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) and other integrity bodies.
Ms Lynch, who has practised as a barrister for the past 11 years, specialises in criminal law. Throughout her career, she has appeared in a range of matters across the Magistrates’, Children’s, County, and Supreme Courts, as well as in specialised jurisdictions including the Drug Court and Koori Court.
For the past 18 years, Mr Ong has worked in a variety of roles at the Office of Public Prosecutions (OPP), preparing complex criminal law matters in the Magistrates’, Children’s, Coroners, County, and Supreme Courts and serving as OPP coordinator for the Royal Commission into the Management of Police Informants.
Meanwhile, Mr White, who is an accredited specialist in criminal law, has been principal at Matthew White and Associates for the past 17 years. Before this, he was partner at Grubissa White Barristers and Solicitors and worked as a solicitor for a range of organisations including the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, the Australian Government Solicitor, and Victoria Legal Aid, a statement from the A-G’s office explained.
“I’m honoured to welcome our five new Magistrates, who each brings with them a depth and diversity of experience and strong commitment to serving the Victorian public,” acting Attorney-General Natalie Hutchins said.
“I congratulate them on their well-deserved appointments and look forward to seeing the strong and positive contribution they make to the Magistrates’ Court – delivering better and fairer outcomes for the community.”
