“Her elevation to the position of Chief Justice will come as no surprise to anyone who has worked alongside her.” — Kyam Maher, Attorney-General of South Australia
History was made in Australia’s judiciary on 15 January 2026 with the announcement of Justice Laura Stein as the new Chief Justice of South Australia, effective 19 February 2026. Her appointment marks a defining moment, not only for the state, but for gender representation within one of the country’s oldest and most respected legal institutions.
Justice Stein succeeds Chief Justice Chris Kourakis, who announced his retirement in December 2025 after an influential 13-year tenure as Chief Justice and more than 17 years on the Supreme Court bench. In nearly 170 years since the establishment of the Supreme Court of South Australia, Stein becomes the first woman to ascend to its highest judicial office, an achievement that quietly but powerfully reshapes the landscape of judicial leadership.
The announcement, made jointly by the Attorney-General and the Premier’s Office, has been met with widespread acclaim across Australia’s legal community, recognising Stein’s depth of experience, principled leadership, and unwavering service to justice.
Three Decades of Purpose: A Career Shaped by Excellence
Justice Laura Stein brings to the role more than three decades of distinguished legal experience, spanning private practice, public service, and the judiciary, an uncommon breadth that has shaped her reputation as a thoughtful, composed, and formidable legal mind.
She began her legal career in 1991 at Fisher Jeffries, where she spent a decade practising primarily in litigation. In 2001, she transitioned into public service, joining the Crown Solicitor’s Office, South Australia’s principal provider of legal services to government.
Over the next 20 years, Stein held a series of increasingly senior roles, earning recognition not only for her legal acumen but also for her ability to lead complex teams and steward institutional responsibility with grace and discipline. In 2020, she was appointed Crown Solicitor, becoming only the third woman to hold the position and overseeing a workforce of more than 200 legal and professional staff.
Her elevation to the Supreme Court of South Australia in September 2021 further cemented her standing within the profession. On the bench, she quickly gained respect for her clarity of judgment, commitment to fairness, and measured, principled approach to the law.
Now, as Chief Justice, Stein will also serve as the presiding member of the State Courts Administration Council, the independent body responsible for the governance and administration of South Australia’s courts through the Courts Administration Authority, placing her at the heart of both judicial leadership and institutional reform.
Unanimous Respect: A Leader the Legal Community Trusts
Reaction to Justice Stein’s appointment has been overwhelmingly positive and deeply affirming.
The Law Society of South Australia praised her as a leader who will serve the administration of justice with “integrity, insight and innovation.”
The Legal Services Commission highlighted her “exceptional service to the law” and “demonstrated capacity to lead.” Across bar associations and professional bodies, her appointment has been described as ideal, earned, and long overdue.
Attorney-General Kyam Maher, Attorney-General of South Australia further underscored her leadership in driving cultural change within the legal profession, particularly in response to the Equal Opportunity Commissioner’s report on bullying and harassment. Her role in lifting professional standards has positioned her as a reform-minded leader, one who understands that justice is not only delivered through rulings, but also through culture, conduct, and care.
Why This Appointment Changes the Narrative
Justice Stein’s appointment is more than a professional milestone, it is a symbolic and structural breakthrough.
For decades, women have been underrepresented at the highest levels of judicial leadership across Australia. With this appointment, South Australia joins other jurisdictions that have entrusted women with leadership at the apex of their court systems, signalling a judiciary that increasingly reflects the diversity, intellect, and lived realities of the society it serves.
Her rise also follows the conclusion of Chief Justice Kourakis’ influential tenure, during which he oversaw significant modernisation initiatives, including pioneering judicial guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence. Stein steps into a role shaped by reform, innovation, and evolving legal realities, ready to lead with continuity, confidence, and clarity.
From Foundations to Firsts: The Making of a Chief Justice
Justice Stein’s journey is grounded in strong academic and professional foundations. She holds degrees in law and economics from the University of Adelaide and gained early exposure to the nation’s highest court as an associate to High Court Justice Michael McHugh.
Those who have followed her career point to a consistent pattern: quiet excellence, sustained commitment, and leadership earned through credibility rather than spectacle. Her progression from private litigation to public service leadership, then to the bench, and now to Chief Justice, offers a powerful and reassuring message to young women in law: that longevity, integrity, and professional rigor still open doors at the very highest levels.
As one legal commentator observed, her appointment is “a powerful signal that sustained excellence across sectors can lead to the very top.”
A Historic First, a Future-Focused Judiciary
Justice Laura Stein will officially assume office on 19 February 2026, ushering in a new chapter for the Supreme Court of South Australia, one defined by history, continuity, and quiet transformation.
In breaking a 170-year precedent, her appointment does more than change who leads the court; it redefines what leadership in the judiciary can look like, measured yet bold, principled yet progressive, feminine yet formidable.
Amazons Watch Magazine celebrates Justice Laura Stein for this historic achievement and honours her as a symbol of possibility, progress, and purposeful leadership. Her ascent stands as a reminder that when women rise into spaces long denied to them, institutions are not weakened, they are strengthened, renewed, and reimagined.
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