Robert French

Robert Shenton French (b. 19 March 1947) is Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia, the highest court in the Australian court hierarchy. Although two other Western Australians, Sir Ronald Wilson and John Toohey, have been High Court judges, Robert French is the first Chief Justice from that state. French was educated at St. Louis School (now John XXIII College), in Perth. He subsequently attended the University of Western Australia in Perth... more

Robert Shenton French (b. 19 March 1947) is Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia, the highest court in the Australian court hierarchy. Although two other Western Australians, Sir Ronald Wilson and John Toohey, have been High Court judges, Robert French is the first Chief Justice from that state. French was educated at St. Louis School (now John XXIII College), in Perth. He subsequently attended the University of Western Australia in Perth, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Laws. He was President of the University's Liberal Club and served briefly as treasurer of the University of Western Australia Student Guild. 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 is a close friend of Kim Beazley, Jr.. In 1972, French was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in Western Australia. The Hawke government appointed French to the Federal Court in 1986, at the age... less