| Honorific suffix | SC |
|---|---|
| Office | Solicitor-General of Australia |
| Appointer | Quentin Bryce |
| Term start | 14 February 2012 |
| Term end | 6 November 2016 |
| Predecessor | Stephen Gageler |
| Successor | Stephen Donaghue |
| Occupation | Barrister, Solicitor-General of Australia |
| Birth name | Justin Thomas Gleeson |
| Birth date | 9 April 1961 (age 65) |
| Birth place | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Alma mater | University of Sydney University of Oxford |
Justin Thomas Gleeson SC (born 9 April 1961[1]) is an Australian lawyer and former Solicitor-General of Australia,[2] the Commonwealth's second-ranking law officer.
Early life and education
Gleeson was educated at St Patrick's College, Strathfield,[1] then the University of Sydney, from which he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws (University Medal[3] and First-Class Honours).[4] Gleeson undertook postgraduate studies in the law at the University of Oxford, where he earned a Bachelor of Civil Law.[2]
Career
Gleeson was appointed Solicitor-General in 2012, having acted in that capacity since the departure of Stephen Gageler the previous year. Prior to his appointment, Gleeson was the Head of Banco Chambers.
Following a disagreement with the Commonwealth Attorney-General, George Brandis, about a direction made by the Attorney-General which restricted access to the Solicitor-General, Gleeson announced that he would resign with effect from 7 November 2016. In his resignation letter, Gleeson stated that his relationship with the Attorney-General was "irretrievably broken".[5][6]
Following his resignation, Gleeson rejoined private practice and returned to Banco Chambers, the chambers that he founded.[7] In addition to acting as counsel in domestic courts, Gleeson is also currently working as an international arbitrator.[7]
In September 2017, Gleeson joined the legal team of Tony Windsor, led by Ron Merkel , in the High Court case Re: Joyce, one of the seven cases constituting the 2017 Australian constitutional crisis.[8]
Personal life
Justin is married to academic and author Dr Bernadette Brennan. They have two daughters Madeline and Caitlin. His father is Gerald Gleeson AC, a former senior public servant in the Labor Government in New South Wales. One of his brothers, Fabian Gleeson, is a former judge of the New South Wales Court of Appeal.[9] His father-in-law is former High Court Chief Justice Sir Gerard Brennan. His elder daughter is author Madeline Gleeson.[10]
References
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-10-04. Retrieved 2013-10-04.
- ^ "Appointment of Solicitor-General of the Commonwealth". nswbar.asn.au. The Hon. Mark Dreyfus QC MP. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
- ^ Ackland, Richard (29 October 2016). "Solicitors-general support Justin Gleeson in argument with George Brandis". The Saturday Paper
- ^ "Federation Press - Author: Justin T Gleeson". Archived from the original on 16 March 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
- ^ Gleeson, Justin (24 October 2016). "Letter to the Attorney-General". Retrieved 24 October 2016.
- ^ Tingle, Laura (24 October 2016). "Solicitor-General resigns citing irreconcilable differences with George Brandis". The Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
- ^ Butler, Ben (21 July 2017). "Subscribe | theaustralian". www.theaustralian.com.au. The Australian. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
- ^ Koziol, Michael (22 September 2017). "Clash of the Titans: George Brandis' nemesis Justin Gleeson joins citizenship case against Barnaby Joyce". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
- ^ "Swearing In Ceremony of the Honourable Justice Fabian Gleeson SC". 29 April 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
- ^ Gadfly, The Saturday Paper, 14–20 May 2016, p. 17