Victorian Bar

rdf:langString Victorian Bar

rdf:langString Victorian Bar

rdf:langString Victorian Bar

rdf:langString The Victorian Bar is the bar association for the Australian State of Victoria. The current President of the Bar is Roisin Annesley KC. Its members are barristers registered to practice in Victoria. On 30 June 2020 there were 2,179 counsel practising as members of the Victorian Bar. Those who have been admitted to practice by the Supreme Court of Victoria, are eligible to join the Victorian Bar after sitting an entrance exam and completing a Bar readers' course. The Victorian Bar is affiliated with the Australian Bar Association and is a member of the Law Council of Australia. The first association of barristers in Victoria was formed in 1884, although the first barristers admitted to practice in Victoria were appointed in 1841. On 20 June 1900 an official Bar Council was established, and a Bar Roll was started. By 1902, all barristers practising in Melbourne had signed the Roll. To this day, new barristers sign the Roll when they are admitted to the Bar. As at June 2019, 30% of barristers at the Victorian Bar were women, and women made up 43% of those with less than 10 years’ practising at the Bar. In 2019, 15% of members were born outside of Australia and 18 languages other than English were spoken at home. Six women have served as Chairs or Presidents of the Bar, including the current President, Roisin Annesley QC, Susan Crennan AC QC, Kate McMillian SC (now the Honourable Justice McMillian), Melanie Sloss SC (now the Honourable Justice Sloss), Fiona McLeod SC, Jennifer Batrouney QC, and the immediate past-President Wendy Harris QC. The President before Ms Harris was Dr Matthew Collins AM QC.