Attorney General John Quigley is pleased to announce the appointment of prominent barrister Philip Urquhart as a Coroner.
Mr Urquhart has been in practice as a barrister since 2005, including appearances as a counsel in Corruption and Crime Commission hearings into the Smith's Beach development at Yallingup and the Andrew Mallard wrongful murder conviction.
He was also a counsel assisting at the St Andrew's Hostel Inquiry into government response to sexual abuse allegations and lead counsel at last year's inquiry into the City of Perth.
Mr Urquhart has considerable experience in the Coroner's Court of Western Australia, having appeared as counsel assisting in a number of complex inquests.
Earlier in his career, Mr Urquhart spent 13 years with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, appearing as counsel in more than 250 trials across WA's courts.
Mr Urquhart will start his five-year term on 20 July 2020. His appointment will fill, in advance, a vacancy resulting from the resignation of Deputy State Coroner Barry King in December 2020.
As stated by Attorney General John Quigley:
"I am pleased to appoint Mr Urquhart, a very experienced legal practitioner having been admitted in February 1989.
"He will be a valuable addition to the Coroner's Court.
"He is joining the Court well ahead of Mr King's departure to provide stability and certainty for the Western Australian community and to continue reducing the State's backlog of coronial cases.
"I congratulate him on his appointment and wish him well in his new role."
