Former Governor appointed Legal Aid Queensland Board Chair
- Crisafulli Government appoints the Honourable Paul de Jersey as Chair of Legal Aid Queensland Board
- The highly-respected former Governor and Chief Justice succeeds the Honourable Margaret McMurdo in the role
- Appointment comes as Legal Aid Queensland experiences a significant increase in demand for the service.
The Crisafulli Government has appointed former Queensland Governor the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC CVO KC as Chair of the Legal Aid Queensland Board.
Queensland's 26th Governor succeeds the Honourable Margaret McMurdo AC, who has served in the position since May 2017.
Called to the Bar in 1971, Mr de Jersey took silk in 1981 was appointed a Supreme Court judge in 1985, aged just 36. Other significant appointments include President of the Queensland Industrial Court between 1996 and 1997, and Chair of the Law Reform Commission of Queensland from 1996 to 1997.
Mr de Jersey became the 17th Chief Justice of Queensland in 1998 and served in that role until 2014.
Beyond the courtroom, Mr de Jersey has devoted significant time to charitable and community initiatives, including as President of the Australian Cancer Society, Chair of the Queensland Cancer Fund, and Chancellor of the Brisbane Diocese of the Anglican Church.
His extensive community involvement was recognised in 2000 when he was made a Companion of the Order of Australia.
Between 2014 and 2021 Mr de Jersey served as the 26th Governor of Queensland, during which time he travelled to more than 300 communities, to make himself as accessible as possible to all Queenslanders.
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Deb Frecklington said she was delighted that Mr de Jersey had accepted the position as Chair of the Legal Aid Queensland Board.
"Mr de Jersey has demonstrated a lifetime of achievement and is one of Australia's most eminent jurists, whose extraordinary career includes more than half a century's experience in courts," the Attorney-General said.
"With his legal acumen and community spirit, Mr de Jersey is uniquely suited to understand the challenges and needs of Queenslanders who come to rely on the remarkably wide range of services offered by Legal Aid Queensland.
"He joins the Legal Aid Queensland Board at a time when the organisation is experiencing a significant increase in demand for the service, including in regional and remote parts of the state.
"I also wish to thank and acknowledge the service of outgoing chair Margaret McMurdo and wish her well in her future endeavours."
Mr de Jersey said he was honoured to accept the appointment.
"Legal Aid Queensland plays a vital role, providing a significant range of services across criminal, family, and civil law, in what are often times of extreme difficulty for clients who might not otherwise have access to legal assistance," Mr de Jersey said.
"I am pleased to be able to serve in this role, ensuring this organisation continues to support Queenslanders in navigating what can be a very complicated system."
