The Honourable Janine Pritchard has been elected chairperson of the Law Reform Commission of Western Australia (LRCWA) at the commission’s first meeting of the year, following her recent appointment as a member alongside senior lawyer Breony Allen.
Ms Pritchard replaces the Honourable Lindy Jenkins as chair, while Ms Allen fills the vacancy left by newly appointed WA Solicitor-General Jean Shaw SC. Both new members commenced their three-year terms in December 2025 and join continuing commissioner Professor Meredith Blake of The University of Western Australia, whose second term began in November 2025.
Ms Pritchard brings extensive judicial and public law experience to the role, having served as a Justice of the WA Supreme Court from June 2010 until January 2025, including more than six years on the Court of Appeal. She also served as a District Court Judge for one year and retired from the judiciary in 2025. Between 2019 and 2024, Ms Pritchard was the first female president of the State Administrative Tribunal.
Before her judicial appointment, Ms Pritchard spent 16 years with the State Solicitor’s Office (SSO), rising to the position of senior assistant state counsel. Her practice focused on administrative and constitutional law, acting for the State in litigation across multiple courts. She is currently leading a jurisdictional review for the WA Government examining ways to improve court efficiency, including reducing time to trial in criminal matters.
Ms Allen, admitted to practice in 2010, has worked across most sections of the SSO for almost two decades and has been a trusted adviser to government. She has held roles as solicitor and assistant state solicitor and was appointed senior assistant state solicitor in the SSO’s Advice, Policy and Public Law team in July 2025. Her experience includes representing the State in royal commissions and commercial negotiations, advising on complex legal and policy matters, and coordinating politically sensitive litigation across State courts.
Attorney General Dr Tony Buti congratulated both appointees, noting the important role of the LRCWA as an independent statutory authority that examines matters of law referred by the Attorney General and makes recommendations for reform.
“The commission plays a key role in advising the government on legal reform to benefit the community,” Dr Buti said. “Ms Pritchard brings a strong background in complex criminal and civil matters from her many years serving with distinction as a judicial officer, while Ms Allen provides deep expertise in legislative reform and complex legal and policy issues.”
Dr Buti also thanked outgoing commissioners the Honourable Lindy Jenkins and Jean Shaw SC for their dedicated service.
