Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold has been appointed as the territory's newest senior counsel, the ACT Bar Association says.
ACT Bar Association president Steven Whybrow said he was delighted to announce the appointment, which he said followed a wide-ranging consultation process.
The territory's last silk to be appointed was former director of public prosecutions Jon White SC in 2014.
Mr Drumgold is a graduate of the University of Canberra and has been a leader in criminal law for many years, the bar association said. He had worked as a prosecutor and in public defence in the Solomon Islands in a career spanning almost 20 years.
"In 2004, Mr Drumgold was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to study indigenous incarceration rates in the US, Canada and New Zealand and maintains a strong commitment to addressing the issue of rising Indigenous incarceration rates in this country," the bar association said.
"Mr Dumgold has appeared as counsel in over 100 trials including as lead counsel in many of the most serious and significant prosecutions in the territory in recent years including R v Al Hazri, R v Vojneski and R v Rappel. Mr Drumgold is now the current Director of the DPP (ACT) and brings more than 16 years of experience at the Office of the DPP (ACT) to this role.
"He is an experienced trial advocate whose significant professional and life experience has served him well. Mr Drumgold provides leadership and inspiration to his prosecutors to discharge their duties with diligence and fairness and a commitment to justice."
Mr Whybrow said: "After a wide ranging consultation process, I am delighted to announce Shane Drumgold's appointment as Senior Counsel."
