New Judge appointed to Court of Appeal

Attorney General Christian Porter has appointed the Hon Justice David Wallace Newnes as a Judge of the Court of Appeal.

"Justice Newnes is highly regarded in the judiciary and the legal profession," Mr Porter said.

"He has gained substantial experience in a range of commercial litigation throughout his career, with particular expertise in the field of defamation."

Justice Newnes moves to the Court of Appeal from the General Division of the  Supreme Court, where he has been since June 2007.

The Attorney General said that during his time with the Supreme Court, Justice Newnes demonstrated his capacity and enthusiasm, efficiently discharging a substantial caseload.

"The quality of his judgements has increased the respect with which he is held in the profession and in the eyes of his colleagues," he said.

"Appeals from his decisions have been rare and successful appeals even rarer."

Mr Newnes began his career as an articled clerk, and later a solicitor, with Muir Williams Nicholson from 1977 to 1982.

In 1982, he joined Mallesons Stephen Jaques, where he worked as a solicitor and, later, a litigation partner until 1994.

Mr Newnes also worked as a litigation partner with Blake Dawson Waldron from 1995 to 2003, before joining the bench as a Master of the Supreme Court until his appointment as a Judge in 2007.

Justice Newnes was appointed to the Court of Appeal following the retirement of the Hon Justice Steytler on February 1, 2009 to become the Parliamentary Inspector of the Corruption and Crime Commission.