Her work in regulatory matters involves heavy vehicles, rails, work health, safety
South Australia’s attorney-general has announced the permanent appointment of Sally Giles to the Magistrates Court of South Australia, as of July 21, to fill the vacancy caused by the planned retirement of Simon Smart, magistrate.
Giles is a “widely respected” barrister with over 15 years in the legal profession, according to a news release from the state attorney-general. She recently completed a three-month term as a deputy coroner.
Presently, she is a barrister at Barry Jennings Chambers in Adelaide, which she joined in January 2024. As a private practitioner, she garnered a wide array of experience across multiple jurisdictions, according to her biography from the chambers’ website.
Giles practises in the areas of criminal appeals and other matters, inquests, commissions, inquiries, disciplinary and health practitioner tribunals, personal injury, medical negligence, administrative law, public law, mediation, and regulatory matters involving heavy vehicles, rails, work health, and safety.
Her experience in regulatory matters includes appearances in regulatory prosecutions in numerous states and territories.
Giles also earned experience as counsel in criminal trials before the District Court of South Australia. As counsel, she has handled complex and high-profile inquests involving medical-related deaths, deaths in custody, and matters concerning child protection, work health, and safety.
She is a mediator accredited with the National Mediator Accreditation System (NMAS), according to her chambers’ bio.
Giles’ LinkedIn page provided more information on her professional and educational background. She served as special counsel for the Coroners Court of South Australia from May 2023 to January 2024.
Before that, she was senior counsel assisting the state coroner and deputy state coroner for the Courts Administration Authority from August 2020 to May 2023. In this position, she dealt with significant inquests.
For the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, she served as principal prosecutor from July 2019 to July 2020 and as a prosecutor from March 2018 to July 2019. She was also a prosecutor for South Australia’s Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions from April 2010 to February 2018.
Giles gained admission as a barrister and solicitor in 2009. She began her legal career as an associate to Justice Michael David of the Supreme Court of South Australia. She earned her LLB (honours) from the University of Adelaide in 2008.
