The new judges will serve in Victoria and NSW
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has announced the appointment of Christopher Horan and Yaseen Shariff as judges of the Federal Court of Australia.
These new appointments come after extensive consultations with key members of the legal community and thorough assessments by an advisory panel, which included the chief justice of the Federal Court, a former justice of the Federal Court, and a senior officer of the Attorney General's department.
Horan was admitted to the Supreme Court of Victoria in 1992. He was called to the bar in 2000 and took silk in 2015. His academic background includes a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Melbourne. Horan commenced his legal career as a solicitor at what was then Arthur Robinson & Hedderwicks. In 1993, Horan served as associate to the justice of the High Court of Australia, Francis Gerard Brennan.
From 1994 to 2000, Horan worked for the Commonwealth Attorney-General's Department, first in the Office of General Counsel and later as Counsel Assisting the Solicitor-General. Horan's expertise as a barrister was marked by his specialization in administrative law, constitutional law, migration, revenue, native title, and commercial and equity matters.
Horan has been appointed to the Victorian registry of the Federal Court. He will take on his new role on September 5.
Shariff was admitted to the NSW Supreme Court in 2001. He was called to the bar in 2007 and took silk in 2020.
Shariff graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Economics and a Bachelor of Laws in 2000. Shariff then practised as a solicitor at what was then Allens Arthur Robinson and at Clayton Utz.
During his career as a barrister, Shariff's practice encompassed many areas, focusing on employment and industrial law, corporate law, equity, insurance and professional negligence claims, professional disciplinary matters, regulatory prosecutions, and workplace safety.
Shariff has been appointed to the NSW registry of the Federal Court. His appointment is effective 7 September.
"On behalf of the Australian government, I congratulate Mr Horan and Mr Shariff on their appointments and thank them for their willingness to serve the people of Australia as judges of the Federal Court," Dreyfus said.
