Robert Shenton French was born on 19 March 1947 and is an Australian lawyer and judge who served as the twelfth Chief Justice of Australia, in office from 2008 to 2017.
23 Facts About Robert French
2.
Robert French has been the chancellor of the University of Western Australia since 2017.
3.
Robert French was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in 1972, and appointed to the Federal Court in 1986, serving as a justice on that court until his elevation to the High Court.
4.
Robert French held a number of other positions during that time, notably serving as chancellor of Edith Cowan University, chairman of the National Native Title Tribunal, and on the Supreme Court of Fiji.
5.
In July 2008, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd named Robert French to succeed Murray Gleeson as chief justice, taking office just over a month later.
6.
Robert French became the first chief justice from Western Australia, and the third justice overall.
7.
Robert French was educated at St Louis School in Perth.
8.
Robert French attended the University of Western Australia in Perth, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Physics in 1968.
9.
Robert French then continued with further study at the University of Western Australia, earning a Bachelor of Laws in 1971.
10.
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.
11.
Robert French is a close friend of Kim Beazley, Jr.
12.
Robert French served as President of the Fremantle Branch of the Liberal Party and hence on the State Executive of the Party.
13.
In 1972, Robert French was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in Western Australia.
14.
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.
15.
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.
16.
Robert French is the first Chief Justice of the High Court not to have taken silk at appointment.
17.
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.
18.
Robert French succeeded Dr Michael Chaney AO as chancellor in November 2017.
19.
Robert French said in a WA Law Society speech in May 2008:.
20.
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.
21.
Robert French was the first president of the National Native Title Tribunal.
22.
At his swearing-in ceremony as Chief Justice, Robert French specifically referred to the long history of indigenous Australia:.
23.
Robert French is married to Valerie J French, who completed her LL.