Lorraine Walker
Lorraine Anne Walker is the Chief Magistrate of the Australian Capital Territory and was an Acting Judge of Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory.
Lorraine Walker | |
|---|---|
| Chief Magistrate of the Australian Capital Territory | |
| Assumed office 13 October 2011 | |
| Appointed by | Simon Corbell |
| Preceded by | John Burns |
| Acting Judge of the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory | |
| Assumed office 1 August 2019 | |
| Appointed by | Gordon Ramsay |
| Magistrate of the Australian Capital Territory | |
| In office 19 July 2010 – 12 October 2011 | |
| Appointed by | Simon Corbell |
| Personal details | |
| Born | United Kingdom |
| Nationality | Australian British |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | University of Sydney |
| Occupation | Lawyer Jurist |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Australia |
| Branch/service | Royal Australian Air Force |
She was sworn in as a Magistrate on 19 July 2010 and as Chief Magistrate on 13 October 2011. On 1 August 2019, Walker was appointed an Acting Judge of the Supreme Court for 12 months to establish the Territory's Drug and Alcohol Court.[1][2]
She is the first woman to be appointed Chief Magistrate.[3]
Early life
Walker was born in the United Kingdom.[4] She travelled between the United Kingdom and Australia as a child.[4]
She studied at the University of Sydney.[5]
Career
After graduating, Walker enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force as a legal officer.[3][5][6][7]
She then worked in the United Kingdom as a prosecutor and defence lawyer.[5][7]
In 1996, Walker returned to Australia and worked as a partner at Barker Gosling.[5][7]
She then became a barrister in 2000 practising in the Australian Capital Territory.[3][5][6][7]
Walker has served on the board of the ACT Law Society, the ACT Bar Association and the Canberra Institute of Technology.[5] She has also tutored at the Australian National University.[5][6][7]
In 2010, she was appointed to the Magistrates Court.[8] In 2011, she was appointed Chief Magistrate.[9] By virtue of her appointment as Chief Magistrate, she is also the Chief Coroner of the Australian Capital Territory.[10]
In 2019, Walker was appointed to the Supreme Court as an Acting Judge to establish the Territory's Drug and Alcohol Court.[1][2] As her appointment as an Acting Judge was only for one year, and she continued to formally hold the role of Chief Magistrate.[1][2] Magistrate Glenn Theakston was appointed as Acting Chief Magistrate during her appointment to the Supreme Court.[1][2]
Personal life
She has four children and a partner. Her youngest son, Callum, regularly sits on the rugby bench.[4]
References
- "Lorraine Walker appointed as Acting Judge of the Supreme Court". ACT Government. 30 July 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
- Back, Alexandra (30 July 2019). "Bench shuffle as chief magistrate moves into new drug court role". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
- "New chief magistrate". The Canberra Times. 12 October 2011. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
- Cummins, Jamie (1 February 2012). "Canberra Conversations: Lorraine Walker". www.abc.net.au. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
- Corbell, Simon (28 November 2011). "On the occasion of the appointment of Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker" (PDF). Magistrates Court of the Australian Capital Territory. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
- "Walker named 1st female chief magistrate". ABC News. 13 October 2011. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
- "ACT Law Society Welcomes Appointment of Magistrate Lorraine Walker". ACT Law Society. 28 April 2010. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
- "Magistrates Court (Magistrate) Appointment 2010". ACT Government Legislation Database. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
- "Magistrates Court Appointment 2011". ACT Government Legislation Database. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
- Coroners Act 1997 (ACT) (PDF).