Sandra Duggan, Patricia McDonald, Elizabeth Collins and Gail Furness were all successful with their applications to become a senior counsel. They were the only four female appointees from the 11 women barristers that applied.

Women make up around 19 per cent of all barristers in New South Wales.

By contrast, 117 males applied, meaning the 16 appointees made up a total of 12.5 per cent of successful male applicants.

Peter Morris was the most senior barrister appointed to senior counsel, having served at the NSW Bar since 1980. Sandra Duggan was the most senior female appointee, first becoming a barrister in 1995. She is the former president of the NSW Environment and Planning Association.

Other appointees included Greg Curtin, who has previously criticised the "secretive" selection process in the past.

Under new selection criteria announced in May, those on the shortlist for appointment receive comments from a number of senior legal officers, including the Chief Justice of NSW, the President of the Court of Appeal, the Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Australia and the Chief Justice of the Family Court of Australia.

The NSW Bar Association said that Senior Counsel appointments provides the expectation that barristers will "provide outstanding service as advocates and advisers, to the good of the administration of justice".

The complete list of successful applicants are:

Mr Peter Mark MORRIS

Mr Anthony James BLACK

Mr Phillip Gerard INGRAM

Mr Garry William MCGRATH

Mr Stephen Scott HANLEY

Mr Geoffrey Thomas JOHNSON

Mr Gregory CURTIN

Mr Eric William Heales WILSON

Mr Richard Malcolm SCHONELL

Ms Sandra Anne DUGGAN

Mr Peter Sidney BRAHAM

Mr Andrew Phillip COLEMAN

Mr Murugan THANGARAJ

Ms Patricia Emily MCDONALD

Ms Elizabeth Ann COLLINS

Mr Adam Andrew HATCHER

Mr Hament Kumar DHANJI

Ms Gail Barton FURNESS

Mr Richard Austin CAVANAGH

Mr Geoffrey Ross KENNETT