The Society welcomes SC appointments in the NT

Law Society Northern Territory (Society) congratulates Mary Chalmers, Duncan McConnel and Wade Roper, who today [29 October 2021] were all appointed as Senior Counsel.

Society President Ms Emma Farnell said, “The Society warmly congratulates and welcomes the appointment of the Territory’s newest silks. Ms Chalmers, Mr McConnel and Mr Roper are all respected senior members of our local bar. All three appointments are well deserved and between them bring many years of advocacy experience and significant legal knowledge in their respective practice areas in the law. The appointment of three additional Senior Counsel in the Northern Territory is a welcome boost to the local legal profession.”

Ms Chalmers appointment follows a long and distinguished career as a Crown Prosecutor and then as a barrister at Murray Chambers in Darwin since moving to the bar in 2018. Ms Chalmers has a wide ranging legal practice including criminal trial and appeal work, family law, administrative law including extensive appearance and advice experience in various tribunals and other regulatory boards.

Mr McConnel has practised law in the Northern Territory for over 25 years having first being admitted to practise in 1994. Mr McConnel first worked as a solicitor in the Northern Territory for over 10 years before being called to the bar and joining William Forster Chambers in 2009. Mr McConnel has a wide and varied practice ranging from commercial litigation, administrative law (including tribunal work) through to advising on and appearing in personal injuries matters.

Mr McConnel has also had an extensive and long involvement in both local and national representative bodies including terms as President of the Law Society Northern Territory (2007-2008), as President of the Law Council of Australia (the peak national and international representative body of the legal profession) in 2015 and as the current President of the NT Bar Association. The Society has always appreciated Mr McConnel’s contribution and dedication to the development of the local and national legal profession.

Mr Roper was first admitted in New South Wales in 1994 and first practised as a solicitor in Sydney for 6 years before being called to the New South Wales bar. Mr Roper arrived in the Northern Territory in 2002 where he took up a position as Special Counsel with Clayton Utz. In 2009, Mr Roper was called to the local bar and joined William Forster Chambers.

Mr Roper has a wide ranging practice and has expertise and extensive experience in areas including administrative law, insolvency and trade practices law, commercial law and insurance law. He is currently the Deputy Chair of the Northern Territory Disciplinary Tribunal.

Ms Farnell said, “The appointment of these new Senior Counsel add to the depth of the local legal profession across a wide range of legal services and are an important step in the continued development of the independent local bar.”