1. Robert Shenton French was born on 1947 and is a former judge of the Federal Court of Australia and was Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia from 2008 to 2017.
25 Facts About Robert French
1. 2.
In 2017 French became an overseas non-permanent judge of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal, and was appointed chancellor of the University of Western Australia.
3.
Robert French was educated at St Louis School in Perth.
4.
Robert French attended the University of Western Australia in Perth, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in physics in 1968.
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Robert French then continued with further study at UWA, earning a Bachelor of Laws in 1971.
6.
Robert French said later that he had enrolled in law "with no particular idea of being a lawyer", but after realising that he "was not going to be a great theoretical physicist".
7.
Robert French was president of the university's Liberal Club at UWA.
8.
In 1969, at the age of 22, Robert French contested the safe Labor Federal seat of Fremantle for the Liberal Party, which he lost to Kim Beazley, Sr.
9.
In 1972, Robert French was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in Western Australia.
10.
Robert French worked on important cases, such as the High Court case, Yager v The Queen, which focused on complex matters of law and botanical science.
11.
On 30 July 2008, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced that Robert French would succeed Murray Gleeson as Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia.
12.
Robert French became the first chief justice from Western Australia, and the third justice overall.
13.
Robert French was the first Chief Justice of the High Court not to have taken silk at appointment.
14.
On 18 January 2017, Robert French was appointed a non-permanent judge of the Court of Final Appeal of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
15.
Robert French remains in the position as of June 2024, along with other Australian judges Patrick Keane, William Gummow, and James Allsop, after British judge Jonathan Sumption resigned, criticising the judiciary of Hong Kong after 14 prominent democratic activists were convicted for subversion.
16.
Robert French has served as an international commercial court judge on the DIFC Courts in Dubai.
17.
Robert French held a number of other positions during his time as Chief Justice, notably serving as chancellor of Edith Cowan University, chairman of the National Native Title Tribunal, and on the Supreme Court of Fiji.
18.
Robert French succeeded Michael Chaney AO as chancellor in November 2017.
19.
Robert French is due to end his term at the end of 2024.
20.
Robert French said in a WA Law Society speech in May 2008:.
21.
Justice Robert French is known for working for the rights of Indigenous Australians: in the early 1970s, he helped found the WA Aboriginal Legal Service.
22.
Robert French was the first president of the National Native Title Tribunal, from 1994 to 1998.
23.
At his swearing-in ceremony as Chief Justice, Robert French specifically referred to the long history of Indigenous Australia:.
24.
Robert French criticised the No campaign's slogan, "if you don't know, vote no", as well as some of their main arguments against the Voice, including their argument that it posed a legal risk, dismissing this as "misguided".
25.
Robert French is a fan of the Fremantle Dockers AFL team, and likes science fiction.