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The NSW Attorney General Michael Daley has announced the appointment of Judge Paul McGuire SC and Dr Hayley Bennett SC to the Supreme Court of New South Wales.

The appointments come as the Hon. Justice James Stevenson and the Hon. Justice David Davies will soon retire from the bench.

Bennett holds a PhD in clinical neuroscience from the University of Sydney and a Bachelor of Laws with first class honours from the University of New South Wales. She was admitted to the NSW Bar in 2009 and was appointed Senior Counsel in 2024.

Bennett regularly appeared in complex mattes involving mental capacity in succession law disputes, as well as guardianship and mental health law applications and appeals.

She has been appointed to the Equity Division of the Supreme Court and will be sworn in privately on 1 July 2025 with a public welcome to be held at a later date.

His Honour Judge Paul McGuire SC was appointed to the District Court bench in 2023. Prior to his appointment, McGuire spent more than two decades at the Bar where he established a national reputation for his work in white collar crime, fraud, insider trading and terrorism prosecutions.

He obtained his Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Queensland and has practised as a solicitor and senior practitioner in both Australia and the United Kingdom.

As a barrister, McGuire appeared in a number of Australia’s most intricate criminal trials. He will be sworn in on 8 July 2025.

In announcing the appointments, Daley said “Dr Bennett and Judge McGuire bring unique perspectives and extensive experience that will enhance the court’s capacity to serve the people of New South Wales.”

Following McGuire’s elevation to the Supreme Court, the Attorney General has announced that Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Frank Veltro SC has been appointed as a Judge of the District Court of New South Wales.

Veltro was admitted as a solicitor in 1984 and in the same year he was appointed Deputy Registrar at the Supreme Court, before being called to the Bar in 1997.

Veltro was appointed senior counsel in 2020 and is respected for his wealth of legal expertise and courtroom experience. Prior to his appointment, Veltro held various senior roles in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and has more than three decades of experience in criminal law.

In announcing Veltro’s appointment, Daley said “Frank Veltro SC is a highly regarded advocate with a long-standing commitment to justice. His deep understanding of criminal law and extensive experience make him an excellent addition to the District Court bench.”

Veltro will be sworn in on 30 June 2025.

The Attorney General has also made two appointments from the solicitor ranks to the Coroners Court.

Experienced solicitors David Yang and Sarah Crellin have been appointed as non-magistrate coroners of the Coroners Court of New South Wales.

Although most coroners are magistrates, the Coroners Act 2009 contains provisions allowing the appointment of non-magistrate coroners with appropriate legal experience.

Yang is the Acting Principal Solicitor at the Crown Solicitors Office where he leads complex civil litigation and advisory matters. He has extensive experience in public law and coronial inquests.

Crellin is a Solicitor Advocate at the Crown Solicitor’s Office and is a former Principal Solicitor with the Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT).

“Both appointees bring deep legal experience and a commitment to public service that will greatly benefit the Coroners Court.

“The work of coroners is essential to our community – not only in determining causes of death, but in identifying ways we can prevent similar tragedies in the future,” said Daley.

Yang and Crellin will commence their positions in July, with their terms ending in January 2027.