Uproar as junior appointed to senior legal role

VICTORIA'S Office of Public Prosecutions is in uproar at the appointment of a relatively inexperienced solicitor to a senior role on the recommendation of the Director of Public Prosecutions Jeremy Rapke, QC.

Mr Rapke's nomination of Diana Karamicov to the $140,000-a-year position of associate Crown prosecutor has also caused a major rift with his most senior prosecutor.

Chief Crown Prosecutor Gavin Silbert, SC, recently expressed concern in a letter to Attorney-General Rob Hulls over the process which saw Ms Karamicov and two other OPP solicitors nominated by Mr Rapke.

Ms Karamicov, in her late 20s, has been with the OPP since graduating, about six years ago, and has had a close working relationship with Mr Rapke.

She was instructing solicitor at the first trial of Robert Farquharson and undertook the same role when he was enlisted to prosecute a former New South Wales deputy senior Crown prosecutor for professional misconduct.

Louisa Dipietrantonio and Michael Roper, each solicitors with more than 20 years experience at the OPP, were also appointed last week after Mr Rapke's nominations.

The job of associate Crown prosecutor is a new position. Last year, the first person appointed was Brett Sonnet, a veteran of the office specialising in senior appeal work.

It is believed Mr Silbert expressed his concern to Mr Hulls about Mr Rapke's lack of consultation on the nomination process with him and a solicitor for the OPP, Craig Hyland.

The Sunday Age has been told that OPP lawyers are incensed that the process of merit and equity promoted within the office did not appear to be followed with the latest appointments.

A senior OPP solicitor, who did not want to be named, yesterday said the ''office is in uproar'' over Ms Karamicov's appointment. ''Many of us see her appointment as totally unfair when we've been told the processes for such things would be based on merit and equality,'' the solicitor said.