Kelly Rees

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Kelly Anne Rees is an Australian judge. She has been a judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales since 5 September 2018.[1][2]

Rees was raised on her family's cattle farm in the Bellingen Valley and was dux of Bellingen High School. She studied at the University of New South Wales, winning the Sir Kevin Ellis Prize for the best performance in the combined commerce and law degrees and graduating in 1991.[1] She received a Master of Laws (First Class) from the University of Cambridge in 1995. She represented both universities in the World Universities Debating Championship, was ranked as the top Australian debater, and won the England and Wales Debating Championship. She later funded scholarships for the dux and best-performing female student of Bellingen High School.[1][3][4][2]

Rees was admitted as a solicitor in 1992 and worked for Mallesons Stephen Jaques from 1992 to 1998 as senior associate in commercial disputes. She was seconded to London firm Kingsley Napley from 1995 to 1996. She was admitted as a barrister in 1998 and was appointed senior counsel in 2012. She also served as chair of the Education Committee of the New South Wales Bar Association. Rees' appearances as a barrister included the Special Commission of Inquiry into Acute Care Services in New South Wales Public Hospitals (2008), Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (2014) and Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry (2018).[5][4][2]

Jailing of dissident journalist[]

On 3 September 2021, Justice Rees ordered the arrest and jailing for 10-months of independent journalist Shane Dowling for repeated criminal contempt.[6] The decision to jail Dowling was controversial in light of his public interest journalism, the alternative of imposing a fine and the fact the order arose in the context of a civil, rather than criminal, matter.

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "UNSW alumna Kelly Rees appointed to Supreme Court of NSW". University of New South Wales. 4 September 2018. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  2. ^ a b c "Swearing-In Ceremony of the Honourable Kelly Anne Rees SC" (PDF). Supreme Court of New South Wales. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  3. ^ "Kelly Rees SC elevated to Supreme Court". Bellingen Courier. 22 August 2018. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Kelly Rees SC". LinkedIn. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  5. ^ "Respected silk joins Supreme Court of NSW bench". Australasian Lawyer. 24 August 2018. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  6. ^ "10 months jail for serial contemnor Shane Dowling - his 4th contempt of court sentence".
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