Samuel Hay KC has been appointed as the new Chair of the Victorian Legal Services Board (VLSB).
He will succeed retiring Chair Fiona Bennett, who has served as Chair since 2013 and was a member of the Legal Services Board since 2008.
Mr Hay was appointed a member of the VLSB in May 2023 and has previously served as Chair of its Investment and Funding Committee.
In addition to his legal practice, Mr Hay has held numerous leadership roles. He served as President of the Victorian Bar Council from 2022 to 2023 and is currently Chair of Conferences at the Australian Bar Association.
Mr Hay is the Deputy Chair of Barristers' Chambers Limited and has served as a member of the Victorian Legal Admissions Committee.
Mr Hay has been a barrister since 2002 and was appointed Senior Counsel in 2019. He holds a Master of Laws and a Bachelor of Laws from Monash University.
The VLSB is the regulator of the legal profession in Victoria, providing protection for Victorians who use legal services.
VLSB also manages the Public Purpose Fund, which helps meet the costs of regulating the legal profession in Victoria and provides vital support for the sector and our community through grants for legal aid and community legal centres to help Victorians access legal services.
As stated by Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes
"The appointment of Samuel Hay KC reflects his extensive experience and leadership in the legal profession."
"Mr Hay's service as a barrister, Senior Counsel and in senior roles at the Victorian Bar and Australian Bar Association have prepared him to guide the Board in its critical role of regulating and strengthening the legal profession in Victoria."
"I'd like to warmly thank Ms Bennett for her outstanding leadership of the Board for over a decade as Chair and for her contribution and dedication since she joined the Board in 2008."
