By -

The number of female judges on the NSW District Court bench went up by 50 percent in the past decade, following the elevation of two new lawyers this week.

The appointment of solicitor Sarah Hopkins and barrister Lara Gallagher to the bench will bring the number of female judges to 36, an increase of more than 50 per cent since 2010.

NSW Attorney General Mark Speakman congratulated the pair, highlighting the breadth of knowledge and legal experience they will bring to the Court.

“Ms Hopkins and Ms Gallagher have significant advocacy and trial experience, leaving them well prepared for the challenges of the District Court,” Speakman said.

Hopkins (pictured top, left) is the founder and Chair of Just Reinvest NSW, aimed at addressing the over-representation of Aboriginal people in the justice system. Hopkins has also worked for the Aboriginal Legal Service (ALS) since 1997, most recently as the Principal Solicitor with the Justice Projects, Policy and Practice team. Her experience covers commercial, criminal and international litigation. She has also been a lecturer in criminal law and process at UNSW for various periods.

“Nothing will work – and I mean nothing – unless the Aboriginal community drives it themselves. That is a key part of justice reinvestment – it is about building the capacity of communities to drive their own solutions,” Hopkins told LSJ in a previous interview.

“We came across the idea of justice reinvestment. It is a data -driven, place-based approach to reducing crime and shifting resources out of the prison system and into communities. By shifting the way things are normally done, you can create real outcomes.”

NSW Attorney General Mark Speakman NSW Attorney General Mark Speakman

Ms Hopkins and Ms Gallagher have significant advocacy and trial experience, leaving them well prepared for the challenges of the District Court

The ALS congratulated Hopkins on her appointment, bringing attention to her work on Closing the Gap justice targets, and her service on numerous committees including the Law Society of NSW’s Criminal Law Committee, and as Vice President of the NSW Council for Civil Liberties.

“Sarah’s impressive legal acumen and commitment to justice are apparent to all who work with her. After 25 years at the ALS, we warmly congratulate her on this well-deserved appointment as a Judge to the District Court of NSW,” said Karly Warner, ALS CEO.

Gallagher (pictured top, right) commenced her legal career in 1997 with the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions before joining the Australian High Commission in Singapore as an investigative assistant in 2012. She worked with the Office of the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions and the NSW Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions before commencing as a barrister with Maurice Byers Chambers in 2019.

Hopkins will be sworn in on Thursday 2 February 2023 and Gallagher will be sworn on Thursday 16 February 2023.