Former High Court judge Geoffrey Nettle QC has been appointed to the role of special investigator in the wake of the Lawyer X scandal.
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Justice Nettle will consider whether gangland snitch Nicola Gobbo and Victoria Police officers should face criminal or disciplinary charges.
The special investigator role was one of the recommendations of the royal commission into the scandal.
Justice Nettle will take up the role on July 19 and legislation will be introduced into state parliament later this year to give him necessary powers.
The 70 year old retired from the High Court last November after more than five years.
He previously had served as a trial and appellate judge in the Victorian Supreme Court and Court of Appeal.
"Justice Nettle's extensive and wide-ranging experience at the highest levels of the legal system will ensure a comprehensive, independent and fair investigation is completed into these matters," said state Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes.
Justice Nettle's appointment comes a week after new laws were introduced to state parliament to allow Sir David Carruthers to oversee changes to Victoria's justice system in the wake of the scandal.
Sir David Carruthers, who previously headed New Zealand's police watchdog, has been appointed to oversee reforms following the inquiry.
Ms Gobbo was registered three times as an informer for Victoria Police, giving officers an under-the-table insight into underworld figures and crime bosses, including many whose payroll she was on as their barrister.
The royal commission, headed by Queensland judge Justice Margaret McMurdo, made 111 recommendations including that an independent expert review 11 other human source files, which Victoria Police refused to hand over to her inquiry, claiming they were "extremely sensitive".
The legal scandal has been a costly one, with $13.47 million to support Justice Nettle's work in the special investigator role.
This year's state budget included an $87.9 million funding package to fix some of the damage caused by the secret use of Ms Gobbo as an informer.
Despite beginning with a $7.5 million budget the royal commission's funding was bumped up to $39.5 million by the end, while Victoria Police forked out $64 million in operational and legal costs.
Australian Associated Press
