Victorian Bar

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The Victorian Bar is the bar association of the Australian State of Victoria. The 2022-2023 President of the Bar is Sam Hay KC.^[1] Its members are barristers registered to practice in Victoria. Those who have been admitted to practice by the Supreme Court of Victoria are eligible to join the Victorian Bar after sitting an entrance exam and completing a Bar readers' course. The Victorian Central Bar is affiliated with the Australian Bar Association and is a member of the Law Council of Australia.

The first association of barristers in Victoria was formed in 1884, although the first barristers admitted to practice in Victoria were appointed in 1841. On 20 June 1900, an official Bar Council was established and a Bar Roll was started. By 1902, all barristers practicing in Melbourne had signed the Roll. To this day, new barristers sign the Roll when they are admitted to the Bar.

As of June 2019, 30% of barristers at the Victorian Bar were women, and women made up 43% of those with less than 10 years of practising at the Bar. In 2019, 15% of members were born outside of Australia and 18 languages other than English were spoken at home. Six women have served as Chairs or Presidents of the Bar, including 2021-2022 President, Roisin Annesley KC, as well as, Susan Crennan AC KC, Kate McMillan SC (now the Honourable Justice McMillian), Melanie Sloss SC (now the Honourable Justice Sloss), Fiona McLeod SC, Jennifer Batrouney KC, and Wendy Harris KC.