He will mainly sit in the common law division
Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner chair Sam Hay KC has joined the Victoria Supreme Court as a trial division justice.
He commenced on the bench today. According to the court, he will sit mainly in the common law division.
“Sam’s exceptional career in the law has been a tremendous asset to our board in regulating Victoria’s legal profession, and his appointment represents a significant contribution to the bench”, said Fiona McLeay, CEO of the Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner.
Hay took his seat on the board in May 2023, becoming chair in December 2024. McLeay praised Hay’s leadership “during a period that has seen a significant uplift in funding from the Public Purpose Fund to the wider legal sector, supporting high quality service delivery, systems improvements and increased access to justice for Victorians”.
In addition to leading the Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner, Hay is the Australian Bar Association’s junior vice president. Moreover, he was previously Victorian Bar Council president (November 2022-November 2023) and Victorian Legal Admissions Committee member (October 2017-November 2022).
He was a barrister of over two decades, handling commercial, administrative and common law issues. He has appeared in Royal Commissions and Commissions of Inquiry. In 2019, he was named senior counsel.
Hay’s successor as Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner chair has yet to be announced. The attorney-general nominates the candidate for the role.
The governor in council then appoints the chair for a four-year term.
