By Henry Ea -
Veteran insurance and personal injury lawyer Joanne Palamara has been appointed a judge of the NSW District Court, the state government announced on Thursday.
Palamara joins the bench after a long career at law firm Sparke Helmore in Sydney, where she was a partner. For more than 20 years, she managed an extensive insurance litigation practice in the mining industry, frequently appearing before relevant commissions and courts and assisting large self-insured companies.
Admitted as a solicitor in 2001, she spent her entire career at the firm, progressing from lawyer to Senior Associate and Special Counsel before becoming a partner in 2007 in the firm’s compensation team. Over that time, she specialised in personal injury litigation, including workers’ compensation and common law industrial accident cases.
Her work earned consistent recognition in the major legal directories. She was named across multiple years in the Best Lawyers in Australia list for insurance law, litigation and personal injury litigation, and in Doyle’s Guide, she was ranked a Recommended Leading Workers Compensation Lawyer (Defendant) in NSW for 2024.
Attorney General Michael Daley welcomed the appointment, saying Palamara’s experience would strengthen the court.
“Ms Palamara has an extensive background in personal injury and workers’ compensation matters, which will be an asset to the District Court bench,” Daley said. “I congratulate Ms Palamara on her appointment.”
Palamara will commence her role on the District Court on 17 July 2026.
