Justice Emilios Kyrou has been appointed to the Court of Appeal, Victoria’s Attorney-General Robert Clark announced this week.
Making his decision public Mr Clark said Justice Kyrou had a strong record of service to the justice system over a career that has already spanned three decades.
Having emigrated from Greece with his family at the age of eight, Justice Kyrou went on to become dux of Upfield High School in 1977. He graduated in law with first class honours from the University of Melbourne in 1982, winning the Supreme Court prize as the top law graduate in his year.
He was admitted to practice law in 1984 and served for 24 years as solicitor and partner with leading Melbourne law firms Corrs Chambers Westgarth and Mallesons Stephen Jaques, developing a highly regarded practice in administrative law, insurance and professional negligence matters. Justice Kyrou was appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria in 2008, the second practising solicitor to be appointed in the history of the Court.
Justice Kyrou is the author and co-author of over 70 articles and two legal textbooks. In 2012, he also published a partial autobiography entitled Call me Emilios.
“Justice Kyrou brings extensive experience to the role, not only having developed a strong reputation in the trial division, but also acting as a Judge of Appeal on numerous occasions,” said Attorney General Robert Clark.
“Today, Justice Kyrou remains the first and only Greek-born judge in Victoria. He has been widely recognised for his many contributions both to the Greek community and to the broader Australian community,” Mr Clark concluded.