These judicial appointments are to the Sydney and Canberra registries
Mark Dreyfus, Australia’s attorney-general, announced the judicial appointments of Lisa Doust to the Sydney registry and Vanessa Jane Leishman to the Canberra registry of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2), effective 14 October.
Doust graduated from the University of New South Wales with bachelor of arts and bachelor of laws degrees in 1993, said the media release of Australia’s attorney-general. She was admitted as a legal practitioner to the Supreme Court of New South Wales in 1993 and was called to the New South Wales bar in 2008.
Doust was a senior associate at Maurice Blackburn Cashman (now Maurice Blackburn), according to her bio on the website of Sixth Floor St James Hall Chambers. Her practice areas include administrative and public law, civil and human rights, commercial law, criminal law, discrimination, employment law, family provision, industrial relations, insurance, and workplace health and safety.
Leishman graduated from Auckland University with bachelor of laws and bachelor of arts degrees in 1994, said the media release of Australia’s attorney-general. She obtained a master of laws degree in applied law (family law) from the College of Law in 2012. She was admitted as a legal practitioner to the Supreme Court of Queensland and the High Court of Australia in 2011.
Leishman has practised as a solicitor in Australia and as a barrister and solicitor in New Zealand, according to her bio on Leishman Legal’s website. She established a boutique family law practice and developed a niche relating to Trans-Tasman family law issues. Her areas of experience include property settlement, parenting, children’s matters, and domestic violence.
Australia’s government made these two new judicial appointments after making an open call for expressions of interest across the country, said the media release of Australia’s attorney-general. An advisory panel considered all the applications received.
“On behalf of the Australian Government, I congratulate Ms Doust and Ms Leishman on their appointments and thank them for their willingness to serve the people of Australia as Judges of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2),” said Dreyfus in the media release.
