New South Wales Attorney General Gabrielle Upton has announced the appointment of the state’s first female Crown Solicitor.
Attorney General Gabrielle Upton has announced the appointment of Lea Armstrong as NSW Crown Solicitor, making her the first female to be appointed to the role.
“Last year she became NSW Treasury’s first General Counsel and today she has achieved another milestone – becoming the first woman in the state to be appointed as a crown solicitor,” said Upton, commenting on the appointment.
Armstrong, who has served in the Crown Solicitor’s office for 20 years and as assistant Crown Solicitor in commercial and administrative law, has provided advice to the NSW government on the major projects including the long term leasing of Newcastle, Botany and Port Kembla.
“I am extremely honoured to be the first female Crown Solicitor in NSW, particularly as I am following in the footsteps of the state's first female Attorney General and Treasurer,” said Armstrong. “I think it is incredibly important for female lawyers and women in government to have positive role models who hold senior positions in the public service.
“There is no doubt it will be a huge challenge, but an exciting and rewarding one and I look forward to working broadly across the legal and government sectors over the coming months,” she added.
Her appointment follows the retirement of Ian Knight in February, who held the role for 20 years.
