Australia: Michelle Gordon to replace her husband as High Court judge
Federal court judge Michelle Gordon has been appointed one of Australia’s seven High Court judges, the country’s attorney-general George Brandis QC has announced.
Gordon, who will be sworn in on 9 June, is replacing her husband Kenneth Hayne AC, who is retiring on 5 June.
In a press release published yesterday, Brandis wrote that “Justice Gordon has enjoyed a distinguished career in the law, both at the Bar and on the Bench.”
He added: “The contribution Her Honour has made to the development of the law, particularly in commercial law, is widely recognised by her colleagues on the Bench and at the Bar.
“On behalf of the government, I congratulate Justice Gordon on her appointment.”
Gordon has been a federal judge since 2007 after working in in commercial litigation and later specialising in commercial law, trade practices and taxation at private practices.
Firms she has worked at include the Victorian Bar, Arthur Robinson & Hedderwicks (now Allens) and Robinson Cox, Perth (now Clayton Utz Perth).
She graduated from the University of Western Australia with a Bachelor of Jurisprudence in 1986 and a Bachelor of Laws in 1987.
Brandis also thanked Hayne “for his many years of distinguished judicial service to the Australian people” and wished him “a long, happy and active retirement.”
Australia’s High Court is the highest court in the Australian judicial system.
Established in 1901 by Section 71 of the constitution, its functions are to interpret and apply the law of Australia; to decide cases of special federal significance including challenges to the constitutional validity of laws and to hear appeals, by special leave, from federal, state and territory courts.
It is composed of seven Justices: the Chief Justice of Australia, currently Robert French, and six other Justices.
About Winnie Agbonlahor
Winnie is news editor of Global Government Forum. She previously reported for Civil Service World - the trade magazine for senior UK government officials. Originally from Germany, Winnie first came to the UK in 2006 to study a BA in Journalism & Russian at the University of Sheffield. She is bilingual in English and German, and, after spending an academic year abroad in Russia and reporting for the Moscow Times, Winnie also speaks Russian fluently.
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