Tom Bathurst
| The Honourable Tom Bathurst AC | |
|---|---|
| 17th Chief Justice of New South Wales | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 1 June 2011 | |
| Nominated by | Barry O'Farrell |
| Appointed by | Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia |
| Preceded by | James Spigelman |
| 21st Lieutenant Governor of New South Wales | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 1 June 2011 | |
| Governor | Marie Bashir David Hurley |
| Preceded by | James Spigelman |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 17 March 1948 Richmond, Surrey, England, UK |
| Nationality | Australian |
Thomas Frederick Bathurst, AC (born 17 March 1948), is an Australian judge. He was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales and Lieutenant Governor of New South Wales from 1 June 2011.
Early years and education
Thomas Frederick "Tom" Bathurst was born on St Patrick's Day 1948 in Richmond, Surrey, today part of Greater London. His father, Hugh Moxon Bathurst, had been private secretary to Senator James Fraser, Chifley's Health minister, when his engagement to tennis champion Joan Marcia Hartigan was announced.[1] They married at St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney on Saturday, 12 April 1947 before flying to Perth to board the Orion for England where they planned to live for a few years while Joan resumed her tennis career at Wimbledon.[2][3]
In 1950, Tom returned with his parents on the Strathmore after living in Surrey and settled in Sydney.[4] He was educated at Saint Ignatius' College, Riverview. In 1969 he was graduated Bachelor of Arts by the University of Sydney and in 1972 the degree of Bachelor of Laws was conferred upon him by the same university.[5]
Career
Bathurst was admitted as a solicitor in New South Wales in 1972 and joined the Sydney city firm of E. J. (Ernest) Kirby & Co. where his mentor was Ann Plotke.[6]
In 1977 he was called to the NSW Bar, being appointed Queen's Counsel in 1987. His primary areas of practice included appellate work in banking law, commercial law and equity. He was president of the Australian Bar Association from 2008 to 2009, and president of the NSW Bar Association from 2010–11.
Notable cases as counsel
Bathurst appeared for AWA Limited in Daniels v Anderson (1995) 37 NSWLR 438, a leading Australian case on the duties of non-executive directors. He was briefed by Dyson Heydon QC in Heydon v NRMA Ltd (2000) 51 NSWLR 1 in a successful appeal against a finding that Heydon was negligent in giving legal advice to the respondent company, an important case concerning a barrister's liability for professional advice. He appeared before the High Court of Australia in Peters (WA) Ltd v Petersville Ltd (2001) 205 CLR 126, a case which reviewed the scope of the common law doctrine of restraint of trade.
Chief Justice
On the recommendation of the NSW government, NSW Governor Marie Bashir appointed Bathurst Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, and Lieutenant Governor of New South Wales, effective 1 June 2011.[7]
Honours
In the 2014 Queen's Birthday Honours List, Bathurst was appointed as a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC), for "eminent service to the judiciary and to the law, to the development of the legal profession, particularly through the implementation of uniform national rules of conduct, and to the community of New South Wales".[8]
Personal life
Bathurst is married to Robyn; the couple has two daughters, one of whom (at the time of Bathurst's own commission as Chief Justice), Emma, was a solicitor with Mallesons Stephen Jaques on secondment to a refugee organisation.[9]
References
- ↑ "Former Woman Tennis Champion Engaged.". The Argus (Melbourne: National Library of Australia). 4 May 1946. p. 3. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
- ↑ "TENNIS STAR.". The West Australian (Perth: National Library of Australia). 17 April 1947. p. 14. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
- ↑ "Joan Hartigan For Wimbledon.". The Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW: National Library of Australia). 26 March 1947. p. 5. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
- ↑ "Social News And Gossip". The Sunday Herald (Sydney: National Library of Australia). 30 April 1950. p. 13. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
- ↑ Alumni Sidneienses (database online) at University of Sydney; accessed 28 August 2011.
- ↑ Greg Smith (Attorney General of New South Wales), address to the Court on the swearing-in of The Honourable Thomas Frederick Bathurst QC as Chief Justice of New South Wales, Banco Court, Supreme Court of New South Wales, Queen's Square, Sydney, 1 June 2011.
- ↑ Patty, Anna (13 May 2011). "Tom Bathurst appointed NSW Chief Justice". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ↑ "Companion (AC) in the General Division of the Order of Australia" (PDF). 8 June 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
- ↑ Chris Merritt, "New NSW chief justice taking a massive cut in pay and pension", The Australian, 14 May 2011, pg 5 via factiva; accessed 28 August 2011.
External links
- NSW Attorney-General media release, 13 May 2001; retrieved 1 June 2011
- NSW Attorney-General, Speech for Swearing In of Tom Bathurst as Chief Justice, 1 June 2011; retrieved 1 June 2011
- Official Website of the Governor of New South Wales
| Professional and academic associations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Anna Katzmann |
President of the New South Wales Bar Association 2008 – 2011 |
Succeeded by Bernie Coles |
| Legal offices | ||
| Preceded by James Spigelman |
Chief Justice of New South Wales 2011 – present |
Incumbent |
| Government offices | ||
| Preceded by James Spigelman |
Lieutenant Governor of New South Wales 2011 – present |
Incumbent |