Attorney General Christian Porter today announced the appointment of Patrick O'Neal as a Judge of the District Court.
Attorney General Christian Porter today announced the appointment of Patrick O'Neal as a Judge of the District Court.
Mr O'Neal will take up his appointment from April 20, 2009, replacing Judge Michael O'Sullivan QC who recently announced his retirement.
"Mr O'Neal's practice has included a wide variety of civil, administrative and criminal matters, which has seen him appear at every level of the court system in Western Australia, from the Warden's Court, the Coroner's Court and the State Administrative Tribunal through to the District and Supreme Courts," Mr Porter said.
"He has vast experience in commercial, construction and engineering arbitrations and litigation, together with professional indemnity issues."
Mr O'Neal grew up and attended school in Vancouver, British Columbia. He graduated from the University of British Columbia with an arts degree majoring in political science before entering law school.
He completed his law degree in 1979 and was selected as one of six law clerks attached to the Supreme Court of British Columbia.
Mr O'Neal was admitted to practice in 1981. In 1983, he started the Vancouver law firm Rilkoff & O'Neal, handling both civil and criminal defence work as a trial lawyer.
During this period, he was also the editor of a legal advice service run by the Canadian Bar Association.
In 1991, Mr O'Neal moved to Perth where, following his admission as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Western Australia in 1992, he gained employment with the law firm Sly & Weigall. He became a partner of that firm in 1993 and practised as the firm's in-house counsel until 1998, when he left to join the Independent Bar.
Mr O'Neal has served as a Commissioner of the District Court on two occasions during 2007 and 2008 and is currently a panel member of the Professional Standards Committee of the Medical Board of WA.
"Mr O'Neal should also be commended for his active memberships on committees of the Law Society since his arrival in WA," the Attorney General said.
"He has developed, organised and presented numerous advocacy training programs, for the Society, the WA Bar Association and the universities.
"I am sure a judge with such dedication and professionalism will be a welcome addition to the District Court of Western Australia."
