- Sarah Russell appointed as a Master of the Supreme Court of Western Australia
- The experienced Barrister had been a WA District Court Judge since early 2020
- She has a strong background in civil, commercial, and corporate litigation
Attorney General John Quigley has appointed former Barrister and District Court Judge Sarah Russell as a Master of the Supreme Court of Western Australia.
Judge Russell joins the Supreme Court after serving as a Judge of the WA District Court for almost four years. She is the first woman to be appointed a Master of the Supreme Court of Western Australia.
She takes over from long-serving Master Craig Sanderson, who resigned mid-year, and Acting Master and Supreme Court Principal Registrar Kate McDonald.
Admitted to practice in England and Wales in 1998, and Australia in 2004, she built extensive experience in the areas of commercial, and civil litigation, construction and engineering matters, and competition and consumer law across both jurisdictions.
She worked as a lawyer in England prior to moving to Australia in 2003.
Following stints as a senior associate at two national Australian law firms over the next seven years, Judge Russell joined the WA Bar, and began practising as a Barrister in 2010.
She has advised on and appeared as counsel in a number of complex proceedings during her career, and was a long-standing member of the Bar Council of the WA Bar Association.
Judge Russell is due to start in her new role on 29 January 2024.
As stated by Attorney General John Quigley:
"I congratulate Sarah Russell on her appointment as a Master of the Supreme Court of Western Australia.
"Judge Russell is highly regarded in the legal profession on the back of 25 years as a legal practitioner, and almost four years of judicial service.
"She was an experienced Barrister appearing and advising as counsel on multiple commercial, corporate, and civil matters, before her appointment to the judiciary.
"Having served as a District Court Judge with distinction, she has the credentials to enhance the Supreme Court's capacity to preside over complex matters and a significant caseload.
"I also take this opportunity to thank Kate McDonald for her outstanding work as Acting Master this year, and for her enormous contribution to the work of the Supreme Court, which she will continue on as the Principal Registrar."
