Supreme Court of Western Australia

Current Judges and Masters

Chief Justice of Western Australia

Chief Justice Quinlan was appointed to the Supreme Court of Western Australia on 13 August 2018. He was appointed as a judge of the Court, a judge of the Court of Appeal and as the Chief Justice of Western Australia.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce in 1992 and a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) in 1995 from the University of Western Australia.

Chief Justice Quinlan was Professional Assistant to K H Parker AO QC, Solicitor General for Western Australia, from 1993 to 1994, and associate to the Hon Justice Parker, Supreme Court of Western Australia in 1995.

From 1996 to 2001, he was a Legal Officer (and ultimately Assistant Crown Counsel) at the WA Crown Solicitor’s Office before joining the Independent Bar in 2001. He was appointed Senior Counsel in 2010.

The Chief Justice was appointed Solicitor General for Western Australia on 1 July 2016 and served in this role until his appointment to the Bench.

He served as President, WA Bar Association from 2012 to 2015, Board of Governors at the University of Notre Dame from 2008 and Director of the Law Council of Australia from 2012 to 2014.

Chambers may be contacted as follows:

Executive Assistant, Chief Justice's Chambers - Telephone: (08) 9421 5337
Email: Chief.Justice.Chambers@justice.wa.gov.au

Associate - Telephone: (08) 9421 5479
Email: Associate.Chief.Justice@justice.wa.gov.au

Court of Appeal Judges

Justice Buss was appointed to the Supreme Court of Western Australia, including as a Judge of the Court of Appeal, on 1 February 2006, and was appointed as President of the Court of Appeal in July 2016.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Jurisprudence (Honours) and Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from the University of Western Australia and was admitted to practice in Western Australia in 1977.

He was a partner of a Perth law firm between 1982 and 1987. Justice Buss joined the Independent Bar in 1987 and was appointed a Queen's Counsel in December 1993.

Chambers may be contacted as follows:

Associate - Telephone: (08) 9421 5301
Email: Associate.Justice.Buss@justice.wa.gov.au

Justice Mazza was appointed to the Supreme Court of Western Australia on 4 March 2010, and as a judge of the Court of Appeal on 16 December 2011.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Laws in 1980 from the University of Western Australia and was admitted to practice in 1981. His Honour practised predominantly in the area of criminal law.

In 2002, he was appointed as Deputy President of the Equal Opportunity Tribunal. In 2004, he was appointed a judge of the District Court of Western Australia.

Justice Mazza is the former President of the Australasian Institute of Judicial Administrators (AIJA). He is a trustee and governor of Notre Dame University Australia.

Chambers may be contacted as follows:

Associate - Telephone: (08) 9421 5387
Email: Associate.Justice.Mazza@justice.wa.gov.au

Justice Mitchell was appointed to the Supreme Court of Western Australia in October 2014 and as a judge of the Court of Appeal in July 2016.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Jurisprudence in 1989 and a Bachelor of Laws in 1991 from the University of Western Australia. His Honour completed a Master of Laws, with distinction, at UWA in 1997.

In 1989, Justice Mitchell commenced work as Professional Assistant to the Solicitor General. He then completed articles with the Crown Solicitor, was appointed Assistant Crown Counsel in 1997, Senior Assistant Crown Counsel in 2000, and Deputy State Solicitor in 2008.

He was appointed Senior Counsel in 2007 and was acting Solicitor General from July 2011 to February 2012.

Justice Mitchell was a member of the Law Reform Commission from 2007 till 2011, a member of the Legal Practice Board and a member of the Legal Profession Complaints Committee.

Chambers may be contacted as follows:

Associate - Telephone: (08) 9421 5361
Email: Associate.Justice.Mitchell@justice.wa.gov.au

Justice Pritchard was appointed to the Supreme Court of Western Australia on 11 June 2010 and appointed as a judge of the Court of Appeal on 13 September 2018.

Her Honour had previously served as Deputy President of the State Administrative Tribunal after her appointment to the District Court of Western Australia in June 2009.

Justice Pritchard graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts from the Australian National University in Canberra and a Master of Laws degree (with Distinction) from the University of London. She also has a Graduate Diploma in Women's Studies from Murdoch University.

In 1991 Justice Pritchard joined the then Crown Solicitor's Office (now the State Solicitor's Office) and worked in that office until her appointment to the bench. Justice Pritchard also lectured and tutored in law at Western Australian universities at various times during the same period.

Chambers may be contacted as follows:

Associate - Telephone: (08) 9219 3101
Email: Associate.Justice.Pritchard@justice.wa.gov.au

Justice Vaughan was appointed to the Supreme Court of Western Australia on 30 April 2018.

He became a judge of the Court of Appeal on 4 June 2019.

He graduated from the University of Western Australia in 1992 with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of Commerce, and was admitted to practice in Western Australia later that year.

Justice Vaughan became a partner in a national law firm in 1998 and joined the Independent Bar in 2007. His Honour was appointed Senior Counsel in 2013.

While a barrister Justice Vaughan practised principally in the areas of insolvency, commercial litigation and taxation.

Chambers may be contacted as follows:

Email: Associate.Justice.Vaughan@justice.wa.gov.au

Justice Hall was appointed to the Supreme Court of Western Australia on 3 July 2009, and as a judge of the Court of Appeal on 3 October 2022.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Jurisprudence and Bachelor of Laws from the University of Western Australia. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts from the same university.

In 1986 he joined the Office of the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions in Perth and from 1991 - 1999 was Senior Assistant Director in its Commercial Prosecutions Branch.

His Honour joined the Independent Bar in Western Australia in 1999 practising in criminal, administrative, insolvency and company law as well as disciplinary tribunals and coronial inquests. He was appointed Senior Counsel in 2003.

He appeared as Counsel Assisting in the Finance Brokers Royal Commission in 2001 and the Police Royal Commission in 2002 to 2003 and was briefed in a similar role in a number of matters in the Corruption and Crime Commission. He was retained as National In-House Counsel for the Commonwealth DPP for several years and appeared as counsel in trials or appeals in Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, the Northern Territory and the ACT.

Chambers may be contacted as follows:

Associate - Telephone: (08) 9421 5240
Email: Associate.Justice.Hall@justice.wa.gov.au

Justice Vandongen was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of Western Australia on 2 November 2022 and as a judge of the Court of Appeal on 22 May 2023.

His Honour graduated with a Bachelor of Laws at the University of Western Australia and was admitted to practice in Western Australia in 1992.

Justice Vandongen was a solicitor before joining the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in 1996.  He also worked as a Crown Prosecutor in New South Wales before returning to Western Australia to take up the role of Consultant State Prosecutor in 2006.

His Honour joined the Independent Bar in 2008 and was appointed Senior Counsel in 2010.

Chambers may be contacted as follows:

Associate - Telephone: (08) 9421 5435
Email: Associate.Justice.Vandongen@justice.wa.gov.au

General Division Judges

Justice Tottle was appointed to the Supreme Court of Western Australia on 10 August 2015.

He studied law at the College of Law in London before being admitted as a solicitor in 1981. His Honour was an articled clerk at a firm of solicitors in Somerset, England, and following his admission to practice, he was a solicitor in London from 1981 - 1986.

Justice Tottle joined the firm of Robinson Cox after moving to Western Australia in 1986, later becoming a partner. In 1995, he founded Tottle Partners and remained at the firm until joining the Court.

Justice Tottle has served as a member of the Legal Practice Board of Western Australia, the Council of the Law Society of Western Australia and co-convenor of the Society's Education Committee.

Chambers may be contacted as follows:

Associate - Telephone: (08) 9421 5120
Email: Associate.Justice.Tottle@justice.wa.gov.au

Justice Fiannaca was appointed to the Supreme Court of Western Australia on 31 August 2015.

He graduated from the University of Western Australia with a Bachelor of Jurisprudence in 1983 and a Bachelor of Laws in 1984 and was admitted to practice in Western Australia on 4 February 1985.

He joined the WA State Crown Solicitor’s Office in 1984 as an articled clerk and worked in that office, predominantly as counsel, until 1992. His Honour was appointed Assistant Crown Counsel in 1991.

From 1992 until his appointment to the bench, his Honour worked for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for Western Australia, including roles as Consultant State Prosecutor, Acting DPP and Deputy DPP, a position he occupied from 2010. He was appointed Senior Counsel in 2005.

Chambers may be contacted as follows:

Associate - Telephone: (08) 9421 5311
Email: Associate.Justice.Fiannaca@justice.wa.gov.au

Justice McGrath was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court of Western Australia on 25 November 2016.

He graduated from the University of Western Australia (UWA) with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in 1986, and a Bachelor of Laws from the Australian National University in 1989. He completed a Master of Laws at UWA in 1996, before attending the London School of Economics in 1999, graduating with a Master of Laws (with Merit) in Public International Law & Criminal Law.

He joined Freehill, Hollingdale and Page in 1990, and was admitted to practice in Western Australia in 1991. Justice McGrath was associate to the Hon Justice Lee, of the Federal Court of Australia in 1992.

He was Principal Legal Officer/Senior Legal Officer for the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions in Perth from 1993 – 1998, and Senior Assistant Director from 2000 until he joined the Independent Bar in March 2001.

Justice McGrath was appointed Director of Public Prosecutions for Western Australia in 2010, a position he held until his appointment to the Supreme Court. He was appointed Senior Counsel in 2011.

Chambers may be contacted as follows:

Associate - Telephone: (08) 9421 5180
Email: Associate.Justice.McGrath@justice.wa.gov.au

Justice Archer was appointed to the Supreme Court of Western Australia on 29 May 2017.

Justice Archer is a former state prosecutor, Principal Counsel of Legal Aid WA and Acting Commissioner of the Western Australian Corruption and Crime Commission.

Her Honour joined the Bar in 2004 and was appointed as Senior Counsel in 2007. That same year, Justice Archer was chosen to conduct a statutory review of the Corruption and Crime Commission Act 2003 (WA).

Justice Archer has a keen interest in forensic advocacy.  Prior to her appointment to the Court, she was a regular coach in the Australian Bar Association’s advanced advocacy residential course.  She also coached in an advocacy course in Singapore and in England.

Justice Smith was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court of Western Australia on 27 June 2018, having been an acting judge since 1 August 2017.

She was also Acting President of the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission (WAIRC) until 26 December 2018, having been appointed to that role on 17 October 2009.

Her Honour was awarded a Bachelor of Jurisprudence in 1984 and a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) in 1986 from the University of Western Australia.

She joined the Crown Solicitors Office in 1985 and remained with the Office until January 2000, after being appointed Senior Assistant Crown Counsel in 1997.

Justice Smith was appointed a Commissioner of the WAIRC on 10 January 2000, and Senior Commissioner on 21 November 2006.

Chambers may be contacted as follows:

Associate - Telephone: (08) 9421 5530
Email: Associate.Justice.Smith@justice.wa.gov.au

Justice Hill was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court of Western Australia on 4 June 2019.

She graduated with a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from the Australian National University in 1992, and was admitted to practice in Western Australia in 1994.

She joined Bennett and Co as an articled clerk in 1994 and was promoted to partner in 2001. She joined Deacons (now Norton Rose Fulbright) as a partner in litigation and dispute resolution in 2005, remaining with the firm until 2015.

Before her appointment to the Court, her Honour was a partner in litigation and dispute resolution at Clifford Chance acting on disputes primarily in the energy and resources sectors.

Chambers may be contacted as follows:

Associate - Telephone: (08) 9421 5141
Email: Associate.Justice.Hill@justice.wa.gov.au

Justice Strk was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of Western Australia on 1 July 2021.

Justice Strk graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) in 1997 from the University of Western Australia. She joined Dwyer Durack in 1998 as an articled clerk and was admitted to practice in Western Australia that year.

Her Honour joined Mallesons Stephen Jaques (now King & Wood Mallesons) in 2000, where she was a partner from 2011 to 2016. While a partner, her Honour practised principally in the areas of commercial litigation and insolvency.

Her Honour was appointed as the Principal Registrar of the Supreme Court of Western Australia on 1 August 2016 and is an experienced mediator. From August 2016, her Honour performed the role of Acting Master from time to time. Her Honour was appointed as an Acting Judge of the Court from 1 November 2018 to 30 June 2019.

Chambers may be contacted as follows:

Associate - Telephone: (08) 9421 5369
Email: Associate.Justice.Strk@justice.wa.gov.au

Justice Solomon was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of Western Australia on 4 August 2021.

Justice Solomon graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) at the University of Western Australia and was admitted to practice in 1991.

His Honour was a solicitor then partner at two major firms where he worked on complex commercial matters including property, contracts, insolvency, building and construction, planning and trade practices. He also taught advocacy to junior barristers for the Western Australian Bar Association.

Justice Solomon joined the Independent Bar in 2006 and was appointed Senior Counsel in 2013.

Chambers may be contacted as follows:

Associate - Telephone: (08) 9421 5113
Email: Associate.Justice.Solomon@justice.wa.gov.au 

Justice Forrester was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of Western Australia on 1 July 2022.

Her Honour graduated with a Bachelor of Laws at the University of Western Australia and was admitted to practice in 1996.

She was an articled clerk at Jackson McDonald before joining the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for Western Australia in 1997.

Her Honour later practised as a Crown Prosecutor in Victoria for four years before she returned to Western Australia in 2011 to take up the role of Senior State Prosecutor and then Consultant State Prosecutor.

Justice Forrester was appointed Senior Counsel in 2016 and became the Director of Public Prosecutions in Western Australia in 2017.

Chambers may be contacted as follows:

Associate - Telephone: (08) 9421 5385
Email: Associate.Justice.Forrester@justice.wa.gov.au 

Justice Lundberg was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of Western Australia on 23 November 2022.

His Honour graduated from the University of Western Australia with a Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and was admitted to practice in Western Australia in 1995.

Justice Lundberg commenced his career at the Crown Solicitor’s Office in 1994.  He then joined Mallesons Stephen Jaques (now King & Wood Mallesons) in 2000, and was a partner from 2005 to 2018, predominantly practising in commercial, corporate and construction litigation. 

Following his time at King & Wood Mallesons, his Honour was a partner at two global law firms, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan and then Jones Day.

Throughout his professional career, his Honour had a keen interest in representing Indigenous clients.

Chambers may be contacted as follows:

Associate - Telephone: (08) 9421 5461 / 9421 5252
Email: Associate.Justice.Lundberg@justice.wa.gov.au

Justice Seaward was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of Western Australia on 7 March 2023.

Her Honour graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) at the University of Western Australia and was admitted to practice in 2001. She attained a Master of Laws at the Australian National University in 2019.

She joined the Office of the State Solicitor for Western Australia in 2001 and appeared as counsel for the State on matters involving public and constitutional law.

Her Honour has an interest in law reform and was a Commissioner of the Law Reform Commission of Western Australia from 2015-2019.

Justice Seaward became an Acting Deputy State Solicitor in 2021 and was appointed Senior Counsel in 2022.

Chambers may be contacted as follows:

Associate - Telephone: (08) 9421 5342 / 9421 5349
Email: Associate.Justice.Seaward@justice.wa.gov.au

Justice Whitby was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of Western Australia on 22 May 2023.

Her Honour graduated from Murdoch University in 1994 with a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Commerce, and was admitted to practice in December 1996.

She worked in an international accounting firm before joining an international law firm and working in the area of commercial litigation.

Justice Whitby was a Supreme Court Registrar for 11 years, during which she also served as Principal Registrar and Master of the Court, and as a Magistrate of Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court.

Her Honour was appointed a judge of the District Court of Western Australia in June 2021.

Chambers may be contacted as follows:

Associate - Telephone: (08) 9421 5382
Email: Associate.Justice.Whitby@justice.wa.gov.au

Justice Lemonis was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of Western Australia on 26 June 2023.

His Honour graduated with a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Western Australia in 1988 and was admitted to practice the following year. Since his admission, his Honour has practised predominantly in Western Australia. His Honour also practised in NSW from 1997 to 2001.

From 2001 to 2018, he was partner at three boutique Perth law firms where his practice included commercial litigation, white collar and corporate crime, regulatory investigations, insolvency and general crime.

His Honour was appointed a judge of the District Court of Western Australia in February 2019 where he predominantly sat in the criminal jurisdiction.

Chambers may be contacted as follows:

Associate - Telephone: (08) 9421 5244
Email: Associate.Justice.Lemonis@justice.wa.gov.au

Justice Howard was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of Western Australia on 17 July 2023.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Jurisprudence (Honours) and Bachelor of Laws from the University of Western Australia and was admitted to practice in Western Australia in 1989.

He practised in litigation and then joined the Independent Bar in 1996, being appointed Senior Counsel in 2009.

While a barrister, Justice Howard practised in the areas of criminal law, corporations and commercial law, administrative and constitutional law, and general civil litigation.

He served as President of the WA Bar Association from 2015 to 2018, and President of the Australian Bar Association from 2019 to 2021.

At the time of his appointment, His Honour was an Acting Parliamentary Inspector of the Corruption and Crime Commission, Chair of the Legal Practice Board and Chair of Law Access WA. He is an Adjunct Professor at the Law School of the University of Western Australia teaching in Conflict of Laws.

Chambers may be contacted as follows:

Associate - Telephone: (08) 9421 5180
Email: Associate.Justice.Howard@justice.wa.gov.au 

Justice Musikanth was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court of Western Australia on 6 November 2023.

His Honour studied law at the University of Cape Town, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Laws, and Master of Laws. He commenced practice in 1994 as a member of the Cape Bar in South Africa before moving to Western Australia in 2001.

Justice Musikanth joined Corrs Chambers Westgarth that year before working as a barrister at Francis Burt Chambers from 2007 where he practised extensively in commercial litigation.

His Honour served as President of the Law Society of Western Australia and as a Director of the Law Council of Australia in 2017, and as head of Francis Burt Chambers between 2022 and 2023.

Justice Musikanth was appointed Senior Counsel in 2018.

Chambers may be contacted as follows:

Associate - Telephone: (08) 9421 5245
Email: Associate.Justice.Musikanth@justice.wa.gov.au

Justice Glancy was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court of Western Australia on 29 January 2024.

Her Honour graduated from the University of Western Australia in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Industrial Relations and a Bachelor of Laws (Honours). She was admitted to practice a year later.

Justice Glancy spent 25 years working for the State Solicitor’s Office, rising to the position of Deputy State Solicitor.

Her Honour served as a judge of the District Court from January 2018, before being appointed Deputy President of the State Administrative Tribunal in October 2020.

Chambers may be contacted as follows:

Associate - Telephone: (08) 9421 5194
Email: Associate.Justice.Glancy@justice.wa.gov.au 

Justice Cobby was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court of Western Australia on 29 January 2024.

His Honour graduated from the University of Western Australia with a Bachelor of Jurisprudence (Hons) and a Bachelor of Laws, and was admitted to practice in Western Australia in 1990.

Prior to joining the Independent Bar, his Honour worked as a solicitor at a range of small, mid-tier and national firms, practising in commercial litigation with a particular focus on insolvency litigation.

Justice Cobby joined the Independent Bar in 2008 and was appointed Senior Counsel in 2018. While a barrister, his Honour practised in the areas of administrative, corporations, commercial and mining law, equity and general civil litigation.

At the time of his appointment, he had been a member of the Legal Practice Board and the board of Francis Burt Chambers since 2018, and was Chair of the Legal Services and Complaints Committee.

Chambers may be contacted as follows:

Associate - Telephone: (08) 9421 5348
Email: Associate.Justice.Cobby@justice.wa.gov.au 

Masters

Master Sarah Russell is the first woman to be permanently appointed a Master of the Supreme Court of Western Australia.

Her Honour studied law in England before completing a Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice with Distinction at Nottingham Law School.

She practised as a solicitor in England from 1998 to 2003 before moving to Western Australia. Her Honour joined Mallesons Stephen Jaques in 2003 and was admitted to practice in Western Australia a year later.

From 2006 to 2010, she worked at Clayton Utz before practising for a decade as an independent barrister from Francis Burt Chambers.

Master Russell has a strong background in civil, corporate and commercial litigation.

Her Honour served as a judge of the District Court for three years, before commencing as Master on 29 January 2024.

Chambers may be contacted as follows:

Associate - Telephone: (08) 9421 5209
Email - Associate.Master.Russell@justice.wa.gov.au


Last updated: 12-Apr-2024

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