James Spigelman

The Honourable James Spigelman AC, QC
16th Chief Justice of New South Wales
In office 19 May 1998 – 31 May 2011
Appointed by	Gordon Samuels
Preceded by	Murray Gleeson
Succeeded by	Tom Bathurst
20th Lieutenant Governor of New South Wales
In office 1 April 1998 – 31 May 2011
Preceded by	Murray Gleeson
Succeeded by	Tom Bathurst
Chair of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 April 2012
Preceded by	Maurice Newman
Secretary of the Department of the Media
In office 30 June 1975 – 22 December 1975
Personal details
Born	(1946-01-01) 1 January 1946 Sosnowiec, Poland
Nationality	Australian
Religion	Judaism

The Honourable James Jacob Spigelman AC, QC (born 1 January 1946) is a former Australian judge. He served as Lieutenant Governor of New South Wales and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales from 19 May 1998 until 31 May 2011. On 8 March 2012 it was announced that he would become chairperson of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. He was appointed to the Court of Final Appeal of Hong Kong on 8 April 2013 as a non-permanent judge from other common law jurisdictions.^[1]

Early years and education

Spigelman was born in Sosnowiec, Poland, on 1 January 1946. He arrived in Australia with his family in 1949^[2][3] and attended Maroubra Public School and later Sydney Boys High School. He then went on to study Arts at the University of Sydney, where he attained First-Class Honours in Government and Second-Class Honours (Division 1) in Economics. Subsequently, he studied law, graduating in 1971 with First-Class Honours and the University Medal.^[3]

Spigelman participated in the 1965 Freedom Ride, a project undertaken by students to draw attention to problems faced by Indigenous communities in NSW. In 1969 he was President of the Students' Representative Council. From 1969-1971, he was the Student Fellow of the University Senate.^[3]

Career

Early legal career

Spigelman was admitted to practise as a solicitor in 1972. From 1972 to 1975, he served as Senior Advisor and Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister Gough Whitlam. In 1975, he was appointed the Secretary of the Department of the Media.^[3][4][5]

In 1976 Spigelman was admitted to the NSW Bar. He did not commence practice until three years later, when he first served for several years as a member of the Australian Law Reform Commission and also spent time overseas. Spigelman's primary areas of practice at the bar included constitutional law, administrative law, and appellate work.

In 1986, Spigelman was appointed Queen's Counsel; and, in 1997, he served as Solicitor-General of New South Wales.^[2][3]

Judicial career

The Premier Bob Carr appointed Spigelman Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, and Lieutenant Governor of NSW, effective 19 May 1998.^[2][3][5]

Spigelman was regarded as the favourite to succeed Murray Gleeson as Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia when he stepped down in late 2008.^[6] However, this appointment went instead to Robert French.

On 18 March 2011, Spigelman announced his decision to resign as Chief Justice, effective 31 May 2011.^[5][7] Reviewing Spigelman's 13-year term of office, Sydney Morning Herald columnist, David Marr commented that "... the Chief Justice of NSW .... blazed an incomparable trail.... every stage of Jim Spigelman's remarkable career has been like that: briefly surprising and then absolutely convincing".^[8] Marr claims that Spigelman's achievements include the renewal of the ranks of the Supreme Court, running a polite and friendly Court, and modernising the Court's business practices and rules. According to Bret Walker SC, Spigelman was renowned for "... showing his decided preference for efficient, better-value-for-money justice."^[8]

He retired on 31 May 2011 and was succeeded by Tom Bathurst QC. Spigelman has also been a justice on the Supreme Court of Fiji.

Chairman of the ABC

On 8 March 2012, Prime Minister Gillard announced he would become chairman of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), starting a 5-year term on 1 April 2012.^[9]

Personal life

Spigelman's surname was originally spelt Szjpiegelman until his parents, Gustawa and Majloch, altered it to Spigelman after moving to Australia. Spigelman's father is a holocaust survivor who features in the graphic novel Maus by James Spigelman's cousin Art Spigelman

Community leadership

Spigelman has a strong interest in the arts. His community involvement includes:^[3]

• Chairman of the Film Finance Corporation Australia Ltd (1990–1992)
• Chair of the National Library of Australia Council (2010–)
• Deputy Chairman of the Art Gallery of New South Wales (1983–1988)
• President of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (1995–1998)
• Member of the Council of the National Gallery of Australia (1995–1998)
• Member of the Board of the Brett Whiteley Foundation (1995–1998) and
• Councillor of the Australian Film Television and Radio School (1975–1978)

Honours

• Justice Spigelman became a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in 2000, for services to law and to the community through leadership in bringing about change in attitudes to the administration of justice for a more fair and equitable society, and to the support of the visual arts.^[10]
• In 2001, Justice Spigelman was one of over 15,000 Australians to be awarded a Centenary Medal.^[11]
• He has received honorary doctorates from two universities in Sydney: University of Sydney, Doctor of Laws (honoris causa), 2004;^[3] and Macquarie University, Doctor of Letters (honoris causa), 2012.^[12]

References

External links

• The Hon James Spigelman AC QC, ABC Chairman Official website
• The Honourable James Jacob Spigelman, AC, Supreme Court of New South Wales website
• The Honourable James Jacob Spigelman, AC, Speeches, Supreme Court of New South Wales website
• The Hon Justice James Jacob Spigelman AC, Honorary Awards, University of Sydney
• The Honourable James Jacob Spigelman AC, Author profile, UPQ