Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs A barrister who achieved national prominence by proving Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith committed war crimes in a defamation case is set to become a Federal Court judge.Nicholas Owens SC was one of eight judges appointed to the court by Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus on Friday. The Sydney-based lawyer made a senior counsel in 2016, has enjoyed a decorated career at the NSW bar, punctuated by his successful 2023 Federal Court defence in a five-year defamation case brought by Roberts-Smith.Barrister Nicholas Owens, SC, leaving court during the Ben Roberts-Smith defamation trial.Credit: Wolter PeetersOwens successfully proved claims the former SAS corporal committed war crimes, including murdering unarmed prisoners and assaulting civilians, were substantially true when he represented the publishers of The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times.He also represented Brittany Higgins in a failed defamation suit brought by accused rapist Bruce Lehrmann.The judicial appointments follow the retirement of Justices David Yates in November and Anthony Besanko – who presided over the Roberts-Smith trial – in May, representing a substantial expansion of the Federal Court’s capacity.Four of the positions are supported by funding in the 2024/25 federal budget, including two judges to address backlogs in migration and protection applications and two to accelerate the resolution of native title claims.Joining Owens in the Federal Court ranks are WA Supreme Court Justice Samuel Vandongen, law professor James Stellios, and counsels Cameron Moore SC, Houda Younan SC, Elizabeth Bennett SC, Erin Longbottom KC and Amelia Wheatley KC.AAP
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