Our History
Foundation
The foundation of 12 Wentworth Selborne dates back to 1957 and the construction of the present building. 12 Wentworth was formed in 1957 when the Wentworth side of the building was completed. In fact the only barrister to have been in continuous practice in the building since that time is a member of our floor - David Rofe QC. In 1963 12 Selborne was formed with the completion of the Selborne side.
12 Wentworth and 12 Selborne combined forces in 1996 under the guiding hands of Dennis Cowdroy OAM QC (later Mr. Justice Cowdroy) and Robert McDougall QC (later Mr. Justice McDougall). The combined floor's first Head of Chambers was Chester Porter QC.
In 2000 the combined floor expanded by taking rooms in Lockhart Chambers (then known as the National Dispute Centre) in Macquarie Street.
Since 2007, when extensive renovations were carried out to modernise the floor, the chambers have been known as 12 Wentworth Selborne.
In December 2008 12 Wentworth Selborne further expanded to the 3rd floor Selborne Chambers which was then extensively renovated and includes purpose built mediation and conference rooms.
Former members
Many former members have been appointed to high judicial office.
The floor counts among its former members two former justices of the High Court of Australia (Jacobs J & Kirby J), 4 former Presidents of the New South Wales Court of Appeal (Moffitt P, Jacobs P, Kirby P & Mahoney P), one Chief Judge in Equity (M. H. McLelland J) and one Chief Judge of the Commercial Division (Rogers J). Many other former members have served on the New South Wales Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court of New South Wales, the Federal Court of Australia and the District Court of New South Wales.
For a full list of judicial appointments, click here.
Former members who are serving judicial officers are: Justice McDougall (Supreme Court of New South Wales), Justices Rares, Cowdroy and Perram (Federal Court of Australia), Vice President Lawler (Australian Industrial Relations Commission) Justice Pepper (Land & Environment Court of NSW) and Federal Magistrate Sylvia Emmett.
In addition to those former members appointed to judicial office, there have been many other notable advocates and distinguished former members of the floor, including Chester Porter QC, R.W.R.Parker QC, Bill Caldwell QC, Priscilla Flemming QC, Jack Hiatt QC, Forbes Officer QC and John Traill QC.