Attorney-General Michael Daley has congratulated four distinguished members of the legal profession who are set to join the ranks of the NSW District Court bench.
Kenneth Averre MBE, Philip Hogan, Paul Marr, and Magistrate Philip Stewart have been appointed judges of the District Court of NSW.
The four experienced legal professionals will formally step into their new judicial roles in early 2026.
Averre has spent more than 17 years as a barrister, specialising in criminal law, regulatory prosecutions, and appeals.
His earlier career included a period in the Solomon Islands government, where he served as a volunteer solicitor before being appointed public solicitor in 2003.
After beginning his career as a solicitor and sole practitioner, Hogan was admitted to the Bar in 1997 and has since built a reputation for handling complex jury trials and high-level appeals.
Hogan also joined the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) in 2010 and was appointed deputy senior Crown prosecutor in 2018.
Admitted to the Bar in 2002, Marr has served as a Crown prosecutor with the ODPP and previously worked as both a defence lawyer and a solicitor.
His career has also included positions as a police prosecutor, lecturer at the NSW Police Academy and investigator with the Australian Bureau of Criminal Intelligence, contributing to a wide-ranging understanding of the criminal justice system.
After a 16-year career as a criminal defence lawyer, Stewart was appointed to the NSW Local Court in 2014.
Before joining the bench, he also served with the NSW Police Force, including in the role of police prosecutor.
Speaking on the appointments, Attorney-General Michael Daley offered his congratulations, noting the significant contribution each new judge will bring to the District Court as it works to deliver fair and timely justice across NSW.
“I congratulate each of these appointments who have a track record of outstanding service and expertise across criminal and civil law, advocacy and public service,” Daley said.
“They will strengthen the District Court’s role in ensuring fair and timely access to justice for the people of New South Wales.”
