The Honourable James Spigelman AC, QC |
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16th Chief Justice of New South Wales | |
In office 25 May 1998 – 31 May 2011 |
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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 |
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Preceded by | Murray Gleeson |
Succeeded by | Tom Bathurst |
Chair of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation | |
Assumed office 1 April 2012 |
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Preceded by | Maurice Newman |
Secretary of the Department of the Media | |
In office 30 June 1975 – 22 December 1975 |
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Personal details | |
Born |
Sosnowiec, Poland |
1 January 1946
Nationality | Australia |
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 25 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.
Spigelman was born in Sosnowiec, Poland, on 1 January 1946. He arrived in Australia with his family in 1949 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.
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.
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.