Appointed as a Justice of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory in 1999, and then to Chief Justice on the 27th September 2010, Chief Justice Riley served as a solicitor for the Northern Territory from 1974 to 1985. He was appointed as Queen’s Counsel in 1989, was President of the Northern Territory Bar Association from 1993 to 1997 having been Vice President from 1989 to 1993 and was appointed Junior Vice President of the Australian Bar Association in 1993 until 1994. Chief Justice Riley joined St John Ambulance Australia (NT) Inc as a Board Member in 1978 until he was required to resign in 2005 due to work commitments. Chief Justice Riley later rejoined the organisation mid 2008 and has remained as an active Board Member of the organisation since.