MEDIA STATEMENT
The Chief Justice of Western Australia, the Hon David Malcolm AC CitWA, today announced the appointment of Kenneth Malcolm Pettit as Senior Counsel in Western Australia.
Applications for appointment closed in September 2001. It was followed by an intensive period of consultation by the Chief Justice, including the Judges of the Supreme and Federal Courts, the Chief Judge of the District Court, the Chief Judge of the Family Court of Western Australia, the President of the Industrial Relations Commission, the Chief Stipendiary Magistrate, the Solicitor General, the President of the Law Society of WA, nominated representatives of the WA Bar Association and the President of the Women Lawyers Association.
The appointment of Senior Counsel is made only on the basis that the candidate meets the criteria for appointment in the opinion of a substantial majority of those consulted by the Chief Justice.
Background - Kenneth Malcolm Pettit
Kenneth Malcolm Pettit was born on 5 May 1948 and educated at Governor Stirling High School and the University of Western Australia. He first qualified as a Pharmacist in 1969 and became a member of the Pharmaceutical Society in 1970. He subsequently graduated with a BA in Philosophy in 1977 and a LLB in 1987.
He was admitted to practise in Western Australia on 23 December 1988. He was employed with the then Crown Law Department from 1985-87 on a part-time basis whilst he was studying his LLB. From 1988-95, he worked full time at the Crown Law Department mainly in matters dealing in constitutional, administrative, industrial, commercial and criminal law. From 1994, he also dealt with matters in relation to Native Title.
In July 1995, Mr Pettit commenced practice at the Independent Bar and joined the Western Australian Bar Association. He has practised widely in large commercial matters, administrative and constitutional law, public sector inquiries and investigations, some criminal prosecutions, industrial law and native title litigation. He has also recently been appointed Counsel Assisting the Royal Commission into whether there has been any corrupt or criminal conduct by Western Australian police officers.
Mr Pettit is a member of Western Australia Bar Association and in 1998 was a member of the Bar Council. He is a member of the Law Society of WA, the Australian Institute of Administrative Law and the Western Australian Industrial Relations Society. He is also a Board Member for the Diabetes Research Foundation.
| Media Contact: | Val Buchanan Public Information Officer for the Courts 9421 5303 or pager 9324 4319 |
