Communities and Justice

Three silks: District Court Judge material

Last published on 24 Feb 2021 

Three highly experienced NSW barristers have been appointed to the District Court of NSW, including an Acting Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, a former Deputy Senior Public Defender and a senior member of the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT).

Attorney General Mark Speakman said the depth and range of experience shared by Andrew Coleman SC, Craig Smith SC and Tanya Smith SC will be great assets to the jurisdiction when they ascend the bench in March.

“All three have had impressive legal careers, clocking up more than 80 years collectively in criminal, civil, coronial and tribunal matters, acting in complex trials, appeals and inquests in state and federal jurisdictions,” Mr Speakman said.

Andrew Coleman SC has been practising law for 33 years in Australia and England and took silk in NSW in 2010. He specialises in commercial, insurance and sports law. Mr Coleman was appointed as Senior Member (part time) of NCAT in 2014, hearing matters and appeals in the Consumer and Commercial Division, in the Occupational Division and on the Appeal Panel.

Craig Smith SC has practised as a barrister for 20 years, predominately in the criminal law. Early in his career he worked at Legal Aid NSW and the Western Aboriginal Legal Service. He took silk in 2014, in the same year becoming Deputy Senior Public Defender. Mr Smith has appeared in trials in the District Court and the Supreme Court and in appeals in the Court of Criminal Appeal.

Tanya Smith SC has worked for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for 23 years, most recently as Acting Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions. She was appointed Senior Counsel in 2019.

Mr Smith will be sworn in on Monday, 8 March, Mr Coleman on Monday, 15 March and Ms Smith on Monday, 29 March.

The new judges will replace retired judges Michael Bozic, Anthony Blackmore and Laura Wells.

Download Media Release: Three silks: District Court Judge material (PDF , 173.5 KB)

Last updated:

13 Apr 2023