The ACT government has appointed a criminal barrister and former public defender as the ACT Supreme Court's newest judge.
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Chrissa Loukas-Karlsson SC was called to the bar in 1989 and appointed senior counsel in 2012.
She has worked for Legal Aid, the Aboriginal Legal Service, and appeared as counsel before the UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in the Hague.
In 2017, Ms Loukas-Karlsson won barrister of the year award from the Women Lawyers Association of NSW.
She has appeared as counsel in a wide range of criminal trials, sentences and appeals in the District Court, the Supreme Court and Court of Criminal Appeal in NSW, and in the High Court of Australia.
Attorney-General Gordon Ramsay said Ms Loukas-Karlsson, in replacing Justice Hilary Penfold, maintained the ACT Supreme Court's status as a court with equal gender diversity.
"Ms Loukas-Karlsson is well equipped for this role, with over 30 years of experience in criminal law," Mr Ramsay said.
"She recently returned to private practice following her work as a Public Defender since 1995. She also has previous experience acting in judicial roles at the former Administrative Decisions Tribunal, as an acting District Court Judge in New South Wales, as well as an acting Crown Prosecutor.
"Ms Loukas-Karlsson is a powerful advocate for women in the legal profession, and last year was awarded Barrister of the Year by the Women Lawyers Association of NSW. She has also served as a Bar Council Member, the chair of a Professional Conduct Committee, and is currently the Junior Vice President of the NSW Bar Association as well as a Director of the Law Council of Australia.
"Her early career work with Legal Aid and the Aboriginal Legal Service gives her a deep understanding of social justice issues and disadvantaged groups.
"She will bring energy and diversity to the court and I look forwarding to welcoming her to Canberra."
ACT Law Society president Sarah Avery congratulated Ms Loukas-Karlsson on her appointment.
"I have worked with Ms Loukas-Karlsson on the Board of Directors of the Law Council of Australia, and I offer her my warm regards and sincere congratulations.
"Her deep understanding of social justice, and her work with Legal Aid and the Aboriginal Legal Service, will bring valuable experience and perspective to the bench. The Society and its members look forward to working with her in the future."
Ms Avery said that while delighted by the "outstanding" appointment, the Law Society reiterated that it hoped to see ACT practitioners join Ms Loukas-Karlsson on the bench in future appointments.
President of the ACT Bar Association, Ken Archer, also welcomed Ms Loukas-Karlsson's appointment, calling the new judge a passionate and strong advocate for women in the legal profession.
He said the numerous awards she had received "reflect the higher regard in which she is held by the legal community in Australia."
"Her Honour's intelligence, good legal mind, humour and sense of justice will serve her well as a member of the ACT Supreme Court," he said.
Justice Penfold will step down later this year after 10 years on the bench.
Ms Loukas-Karlsson starts on March 26.
