“The appointment of a fifth judge for the ACT is an important milestone for the territory,” Mr Corbell said.

“Canberra is a growing city and demand has now reached the point where it is necessary for the territory to have another full-time judge. A fifth judge will allow our courts to build on the excellent work done in recent years to increase access to justice and improve timeliness. It will also allow the courts to meet increasing demand for years to come.”

Judge Elkaim has almost 40 years' experience in the legal profession and was appointed Senior Counsel in NSW in 2002.

As a barrister, he practised for almost 30 years in a range of courts and jurisdictions, including conducting litigation in the fields of common law, family law, criminal law, commercial law and appellate work.

“I congratulate Judge Elkaim on his appointment, and I am confident he will make a valuable contribution to the court,” Mr Corbell said.

The Law Society of the ACT president Martin Hockridge and the ACT Bar Association president Shane Gill welcome the appointment of a fifth judge to the ACT Supreme Court.

“The legal profession has consistently highlighted the need for a fifth Supreme Court judge to manage the Court's caseload,” they said.

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“The appointment of Justice Elkaim is good news, and this additional capacity will increase the court’s ability to quickly provide just outcomes.”

They added: “Justice Elkaim’s extensive experience as a district court judge, and as a respected senior counsel, will mean he is up and running from the start.”