SA lawyers Sam Doyle and Sophie David appointed as Judges of the Supreme and District Courts
TOP lawyers Sam Doyle and Sophie David, who are the children of two of the state’s most respected judges, have been appointed to the Supreme and District Court benches.
TWO top lawyers, who are the children of two of the state’s most respected judges, have been appointed to the benches of the Supreme and District Court.
Sam Doyle, SC — son of former Chief Justice John Doyle — was on Thursday named a Justice of the Supreme Court.
Sophie David, SC — daughter of Justice Michael David — was named a Judge of the District Court.
Both Justice Doyle, 43, and Judge David, 44, bring with them years of experience in the state’s criminal and civil courts.
“It’s a great honour, and I’m looking forward to my new role,” Justice Doyle, who was in trial on Thursday, told The Advertiser.
Judge David, who was interstate, said she was honoured to join the bench.
“I’ve enjoyed my time at the Bar and I’m really looking forward to the challenges of a judicial appointment,” she said.
The duo’s appointments could signal a forward-thinking approach by the State Government and Attorney-General John Rau.
Each is comparatively younger than previous appointees and will serve almost 30-year terms before reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70.
Despite the duo’s pedigree, legal sources say it is unlikely either new appointee is being groomed for a leadership position.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Chris Kourakis assumed his role in 2012 at the age of 54, and his term will not expire until 2028.
And while District Court Chief Judge Geoffrey Muecke is due to retire in 2017, rumours persist that Mr Rau intends to name himself to that position as part of his justice reformation plan.
Justice Doyle, of Jeffcott Chambers, was admitted to practice in 1998 and appointed SC in 2012.
He graduated, like his father, from the University of Adelaide’s law school.
Prior to practice, he served as associate to then-Justice Bruce Lander, who is now the state’s Independent Commissioner Against Corruption.
Justice Doyle has worked extensively in bankruptcy, corporate insolvency, commercial, company and contract law.
He also has experience with intellectual property, defamation, media and entertainment cases, and is currently representing global giant Google in a Supreme Court trial.
His father, Chief Justice John Doyle, stepped down from the bench in April 2012, three years ahead of mandatory retirement.
All save one of the Doyle children has gone into law — Justice Doyle’s brother, Ben, and sisters Rachel and Hannah are also practising while his other sister, Miriam, is a teacher.
Judge David has most recently acted as counsel assisting the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
She was admitted to practice in 1997 after graduating from the Australian National University.
Judge David’s tenure at the bar has included appellate advocacy work, corporate crime and fraud, industrial and worker’s compensation cases and general criminal law.
From 1998 until 2003, she worked as a prosecutor for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Her father, Justice Michael David, also served as a District Court judge prior to his Supreme Court elevation.
He retired in 2014 but, like former Chief Justice Doyle, agreed to return to the bench in 2015 to hear cases and ease staffing pressures.
In a statement, acting Attorney-General Gail Gago said Justice Doyle would fill the vacancy left by long-serving Justice Tom Gray.
She congratulated both him and Judge David on their appointments, saying she was confident they would be “valuable assets” to the courts.