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Magistrate Appointed As County Court Judge

09 May 2017

Attorney-General Martin Pakula has today announced the appointment of Carolene Gwynn as a new judge of the County Court.

The former Magistrate will join the County Court after more than 20 years of experience in criminal and family law proceedings.

Ms Gwynn was appointed to the Magistrates’ Court in 2015 and was a gazetted Family Violence Division Magistrate. She also regularly sat in plea and committal hearings, bail applications and the sexual offences list.

Ms Gwynn was also an active member of the court’s criminal law, education, Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal and sex offences committees.

She also spent four years at Victoria Legal Aid as a solicitor, practising in all areas of criminal law and appearing before every Victorian criminal jurisdiction as counsel for both the prosecution and defence.

After graduating from Monash University with a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts, Ms Gwynn was admitted to practice in 1994 and signed the Victorian Bar Roll in 2001.

She has spent a number of years mentoring law students as a sessional lecturer at Monash University in practice and advocacy and has also participated in the University’s Barrister Shadowing Program, which provides students with an insight into the life of a barrister.

Ms Gwynn was also an instructor with the Victorian Bar to Legal Training Institute students in Papua New Guinea.

Ms Gwynn’s appointment follows the retirement of Judge Pamela Jenkins, who retired on 28 February 2017 after 18 years at the County Court.

Quotes attributable to Attorney-General Martin Pakula

“Ms Gwynn brings more than two decades of legal experience to her new role and she has an extensive knowledge of family violence and family law proceedings. I congratulate Ms Gwynne on her appointment.”

“I also wish to acknowledge and thank Pamela Jenkins for the service she has provided to the Victorian community in her role as a judge of the County Court for almost 20 years.”

Reviewed 19 August 2020

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