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Robert French
Robert Shenton French (born 1947) is a former judge of the Federal Court of Australia and was Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia from 2008 to 2017. From 2017 to 2024, he was chancellor of the University of Western Australia, of which he is a graduate. He served as an overseas non-permanent judge of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal from 2017 to 2025.
Robert Shenton French was born in Perth, Western Australia, in 1947.
He was educated at St. Louis School (now John XXIII College) in Perth.[better source needed] In 1964 he was one of two students from Western Australia to attend the International Science School, then known as the Nuclear Research Foundation Summer Science School, at the University of Sydney.
French attended the University of Western Australia (UWA) in Perth, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in physics in 1968. He then continued with further study at UWA, earning a Bachelor of Laws in 1971. He 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". He was president of the university's Liberal Club at UWA.
In 1969, at the age of 22, French contested the safe Labor Federal seat of Fremantle for the Liberal Party, which he lost to Kim Beazley, Sr. He later said: "Fortunately I lost. I do not think I would have made a very good politician... It was an enjoyable learning experience. It involved the kind of valuable interaction with people whom I would never normally have encountered. That has served me well in later life." He is a close friend of Kim Beazley, Jr.
In 1972, French was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in Western Australia. He worked on important cases, such as the High Court case Yager v The Queen, which focused on complex matters of law and botanical science.
The Hawke government appointed French to the Federal Court in 1986, at the age of 39.
During the Tampa Affair in 2001, French was part of the Full Court of the Federal Court that reversed the order of habeas corpus that had been earlier granted by a single judge.
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Robert French
Robert Shenton French (born 1947) is a former judge of the Federal Court of Australia and was Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia from 2008 to 2017. From 2017 to 2024, he was chancellor of the University of Western Australia, of which he is a graduate. He served as an overseas non-permanent judge of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal from 2017 to 2025.
Robert Shenton French was born in Perth, Western Australia, in 1947.
He was educated at St. Louis School (now John XXIII College) in Perth.[better source needed] In 1964 he was one of two students from Western Australia to attend the International Science School, then known as the Nuclear Research Foundation Summer Science School, at the University of Sydney.
French attended the University of Western Australia (UWA) in Perth, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in physics in 1968. He then continued with further study at UWA, earning a Bachelor of Laws in 1971. He 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". He was president of the university's Liberal Club at UWA.
In 1969, at the age of 22, French contested the safe Labor Federal seat of Fremantle for the Liberal Party, which he lost to Kim Beazley, Sr. He later said: "Fortunately I lost. I do not think I would have made a very good politician... It was an enjoyable learning experience. It involved the kind of valuable interaction with people whom I would never normally have encountered. That has served me well in later life." He is a close friend of Kim Beazley, Jr.
In 1972, French was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in Western Australia. He worked on important cases, such as the High Court case Yager v The Queen, which focused on complex matters of law and botanical science.
The Hawke government appointed French to the Federal Court in 1986, at the age of 39.
During the Tampa Affair in 2001, French was part of the Full Court of the Federal Court that reversed the order of habeas corpus that had been earlier granted by a single judge.
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