New South Wales Bar Association

The New South Wales Bar Association is a professional body of lawyers responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The body administers the bar examination in accordance with the Legal Profession Uniform Law.

The New South Wales Bar Association

Abbreviation	NSWBar
Formation	1936
Legal status	Bar Association
Purpose	Regulation of Barristers
Headquarters	Sydney
Location	Australia
Region served	New South Wales
Membership	2,362 practising; 3,218 total (as at 30 June 2023)[1]
President	Dr Ruth Higgins SC[2]
Affiliations	Australian Bar Association
Website	www.nswbar.asn.au

History

Formerly known as the Council of the Bar of New South Wales, the organisation was incorporated on 22 October 1936 as The New South Wales Bar Association. The College of Arms granted the Bar Association's coat of arms in 1959.^[3]

Presidents

President	Commenced	Ended	Notes
Richard Clive Teece	November 1936	December 1947	[4]
Alan Taylor	December 1947	December 1949
Garfield Barwick	December 1949	November 1952
Keith Ferguson	November 1952	November 1954	[5]
Sir Garfield Barwick	November 1954	November 1956
Gordon Wallace	November 1956	December 1958
Bruce MacFarlan	December 1958	July 1959	[a][6]
Nigel Bowen	July 1959	November 1961
Leycester Meares	November 1961	December 1963
John Kerr	December 1963	December 1964
John Holmes	December 1964	November 1965	[a][7]
Maurice Byers	November 1965	November 1967
Bernard Riley	November 1967	December 1969	[8]
Philip Woodward	December 1969	October 1971	[a]
Gordon Samuels	October 1971	November 1972	[a]
Denys Needham	November 1972	December 1972	[9]
Harold Glass	December 1972	September 1973	[a]
Tom Hughes	September 1973	December 1975
Douglas McGregor	December 1975	November 1977	[10]
Trevor Morling	November 1977	December 1979	[11]
Roddy Meagher	December 1979	November 1981
Michael McHugh	November 1981	December 1983
Murray Gleeson	December 1983	December 1985
Roger Gyles	December 1985	November 1987
Kenneth Handley	November 1987	November 1989
Barry O'Keefe	November 1989	December 1991
John Coombs	December 1991	November 1993	[12]
Murray Tobias	November 1993	November 1995
David Bennett	November 1995	December 1997
Ian Barker	December 1997	November 1999
Ruth McColl	November 1999	November 2001
Bret Walker	November 2001	November 2003
Ian Harrison	November 2003	November 2005
Michael Slattery	November 2005	November 2007	[13]
Anna Katzmann	November 2007	November 2009
Tom Bathurst	November 2009	May 2011	[a]
Bernard Coles	May 2011	November 2012
Phillip Boulten	November 2012	May 2014
Jane Needham	May 2014	November 2015	[b]
Noel Hutley	November 2015	May 2017
Arthur Moses	May 2017	November 2018	[14]
Tim Game	November 2018	November 2020
Michael McHugh	November 2020	May 2022	[15]
Gabrielle Bashir	May 2022	November 2023	[16]
Dr Ruth Higgins	November 2023		[17]

Arms

Coat of arms of New South Wales Bar Association

Notes The arms of the New South Wales Bar Association, granted by the Garter, Clarenceux and Norroy & Ulster Kings of Arms on 22 March 1960, consist of:[18] Crest On a Wreath Or and Gules, a closed Book proper, standing thereon a pair of Scales Or. Escutcheon Ermine, on a Cross Gules a Brief Scroll fessewise proper, Taped Gules, between four Stars each of eight points Or. Supporters On the dexter side a Kangaroo, and on the sinister a Lion, both proper. Motto Servants of All yet of None Badge A Brief Scroll fessewise proper, Taped Gules.

Explanatory notes

1. Resigned to take up an appointment to the Supreme Court of New South Wales.
2. Jane Needham is the daughter of former president Denys Needham