A broad range of legal talent is being appointed to the judiciary, to fill a series of imminent and upcoming vacancies.
In the District Court, leading criminal lawyer Jeff Powell SC has been appointed as a Judge.
Mr Powell has been practising law for more than 30 years, including nearly a decade as senior prosecutor with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, and has been a barrister for nearly 20 years.
In the Supreme Court, experienced lawyer, company director and former Member of Parliament and Minister Andrea Michaels will begin work as an Associate Justice on 15 June, filling the vacancy created by the elevation of Associate Justice Katrina Bochner to the position of Justice of the Supreme Court.
Associate Justices play an important role supporting the work of the Justices of the Supreme Court, including case management, mediations and hearing interlocutory matters.
Deputy Coroner Naomi Kereru will take on the role of State Coroner when sitting Coroner David Whittle’s appointment concludes at the end of August this year. Coroner Whittle will return to the role of a magistrate from 1 September 2026.
Ms Kereru brings significant experience in the coronial jurisdiction to the role of State Coroner, having served as a Deputy State Coroner since 2024 and a coroner since 2022. Prior to this, Ms Kereru spent ten years as counsel assisting the State and Deputy Coroners, before joining the independent bar, where she specialised in public inquiries, criminal law and administrative law.
In the Magistrates Court, experienced solicitor Thomas Burke will next week (May 28) begin work as a Magistrate, filling the vacancy created by the impending resignation of Magistrate Maria Panagiotidis.
Most recently, Mr Burke has been working as a Judicial Registrar with the Magistrates Court after a 15-year term with Norman Waterhouse Lawyers.
In the South Australian Employment Tribunal, employment law specialist Ben Smith has been appointed Commissioner, filling the vacancy left by the resignation of Commissioner Jaspreet Kaur.
Mr Smith has most recently been working as a lawyer specialising in industrial, employment and workers compensation law with Mellor Olsson and begins his term with the SAET next month (15 June).