Robyn Ann Layton

The Honourable
Robyn Ann Layton
Judge of the Supreme Court of South Australia
In office
14 February 2005 – 3 September 2010
Personal details
Nationality Australian
Education University of Adelaide
Occupation Judge, lawyer

Robyn Ann Layton is an Australian lawyer, who worked in a diverse range of legal roles, including a judge of the Supreme Court of South Australia, judge of the South Australian Industrial Court, the author of the South Australian Child Protection Review, member and then chair of the International Labour Organization's Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations.[1]

Career

Layton studied law at the University of Adelaide, graduating in 1967 with a bachelor of laws. Layton had a diverse practice as a solicitor, working in criminal, industrial and family law. Layton also did pro bono work for people opposed to the Vietnam war, both conscientious objectors and demonstrators. Her criminal law work included representing Aboriginal people, again pro bono. Her work for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people expanded to the Central Aboriginal Land Rights team.[1]

Layton was appointed to the South Australian Industrial Court in 1978, before accepting a position as a Deputy President of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (Cth) from 1985 until 1989. Layton was appointed a Queen's Counsel in 1992 following her return to the bar.[2] In 1993 Layton was appointed a member of International Labour Organization's Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations a position she held until 2008, including time as the first female chair.[1]

In 2002 the South Australian government commissioned Layton to review child protection laws to more effectively prevent child neglect and abuse and to improve the outcomes for children who had been neglected or abused.[3]

Supreme Court of South Australia

On 14 February 2005 Layton became the fourth woman appointed to the Supreme Court and with Margaret Nyland and Ann Vanstone formed the first all female Court of Criminal Appeal in South Australia.[4] She retired from the Court on 3 September 2010.[1]

Subsequent work

Since 2010 Layton has continued to advocate for indigineous, refugee and children's rights, working as the team leader for an Asian Development Bank in Kazakhstan, Cambodia and the Philippines to reduce poverty for women and improve employment opportunities. She has also conducted a review of the governance of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands.[5] Layton is an Adjunct Professor at the University of South Australia’s School of Law.[1]


Honours

Layton was made a Officer of the Order of Australia on 26 January 2012 "For distinguished service to the law and to the judiciary, particularly through the Supreme Court of South Australia, as an advocate for Indigenous, refugee and children's rights, and to the community".[6] She was also recognised as the "South Australian of the Year" in 2012.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "The Honourable Dr Robyn Layton AO, QC". Australian Women Lawyers. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  2. ↑ "The Honourable Justice Robyn Layton appointed to UniSA Law". University of South Australia. Archived from the original on 11 October 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  3. ↑ Robyn Layton, QC (March 2003). "Our best investment: A state plan to protect and advance the interests of children" (PDF). Government of South Australia. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  4. ↑ "The Honourable Margaet Nyland AM". Australian Women Lawyers. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  5. ↑ "APY lands divided over Land Rights Act overhaul". SBS NITV. 27 November 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  6. ↑ "LAYTON, Robyn Ann". It's an Honour. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  7. ↑ "SA Australian of the year 2012 Robyn Layton QC". australianoftheyear.org.au. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.