Justin Gleeson
{{Short description|Australian lawyer (born 1961)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{BLP sources|date=November 2016}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Justin Gleeson
| honorific-suffix = SC
| image = File:Justice Justin Gleeson SC image.jpg
| image_size =
| office = Solicitor-General of Australia
| appointer = Quentin Bryce
| term_start = 14 February 2012
| term_end = 6 November 2016
| predecessor = Stephen Gageler
| successor = Stephen Donaghue
| occupation = Barrister,
Solicitor-General of Australia
| birth_name = Justin Thomas Gleeson
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1961|4|9}}
| birth_place = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| spouse =
| alma_mater = University of Sydney
University of Oxford
| religion =
| children =
}}
Justin Thomas Gleeson SC (born 9 April 1961{{cite web|url=http://www.banco.net.au/uploads/documents/Justin_Gleeson_SC_long-CV-december_2011_weblinks.pdf |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2013-10-04 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004215933/http://www.banco.net.au/uploads/documents/Justin_Gleeson_SC_long-CV-december_2011_weblinks.pdf |archivedate=2013-10-04 }}) is an Australian lawyer and former Solicitor-General of Australia,{{cite web|title=Appointment of Solicitor-General of the Commonwealth|url=http://www.nswbar.asn.au/circulars/2013/feb/gleeson.pdf|website=nswbar.asn.au|publisher=The Hon. Mark Dreyfus QC MP|accessdate=9 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304191111/http://www.nswbar.asn.au/circulars/2013/feb/gleeson.pdf|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}} the Commonwealth's second-ranking law officer.
Early life and education
Gleeson was educated at St Patrick's College, Strathfield, then the University of Sydney, from which he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws (University Medal{{cite web|url=https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2016/10/29/solicitors-general-support-justin-gleeson-argument-with-george-brandis|title=Solicitors-general support Justin Gleeson in argument with George Brandis|date=29 October 2016|first=Richard|last=Ackland|work=The Saturday Paper}} and First-Class Honours).{{cite web|url=http://www.federationpress.com.au/bookstore/author.asp?id=1143|title=Federation Press - Author: Justin T Gleeson|publisher=|access-date=27 March 2013|archive-date=16 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190316211925/https://www.federationpress.com.au/bookstore/author.asp?id=1143|url-status=dead}} Gleeson undertook postgraduate studies in the law at the University of Oxford, where he earned a Bachelor of Civil Law.
Career
Gleeson was appointed Solicitor-General in 2012, having acted in that capacity since the departure of Stephen Gageler the previous year. Prior to his appointment, Gleeson was the Head of Banco Chambers.
Following a disagreement with the Commonwealth Attorney-General, George Brandis, about a direction made by the Attorney-General which restricted access to the Solicitor-General, Gleeson announced that he would resign with effect from 7 November 2016. In his resignation letter, Gleeson stated that his relationship with the Attorney-General was "irretrievably broken".{{cite letter | last = Gleeson | first = Justin | recipient = George Brandis, Attorney-General of the Commonwealth | date = 24 October 2016 | title = Letter to the Attorney-General | url = https://crikey-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2016/10/Letter-to-the-Attorney-General.pdf | accessdate = 24 October 2016 }}{{cite news | last = Tingle | first = Laura | title = Solicitor-General resigns citing irreconcilable differences with George Brandis | publisher = The Australian Financial Review | url = http://www.afr.com/news/solicitorgeneral-resigns-citing-irreconcilable-differences-with-george-brandis-20161024-gs9e8g | date = 24 October 2016 | accessdate = 24 October 2016 }}
Following his resignation, Gleeson rejoined private practice and returned to Banco Chambers, the chambers that he founded.{{cite news|last1=Butler|first1=Ben|title=Subscribe {{!}} theaustralian|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/legal-affairs/former-solicitorgeneral-justin-gleeson-proud-of-tobacco-fight/news-story/57cffc6adac87da3288067587808c1b6|accessdate=29 October 2017|work=www.theaustralian.com.au|agency=The Australian|date=21 July 2017}} In addition to acting as counsel in domestic courts, Gleeson is also currently working as an international arbitrator.
In September 2017, Gleeson joined the legal team of Tony Windsor, led by Ron Merkel {{post-nominals|country=AUS|QC}}, in the High Court case Re: Joyce, one of the seven cases constituting the 2017 Australian constitutional crisis.{{cite news|last1=Koziol|first1=Michael|title=Clash of the Titans: George Brandis' nemesis Justin Gleeson joins citizenship case against Barnaby Joyce|url=http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/clash-of-the-titans-george-brandis-nemesis-justin-gleeson-joins-citizenship-case-against-barnaby-joyce-20170922-gymvqr.html|accessdate=29 October 2017|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=22 September 2017}}
Personal life
Justin is married to academic and author Dr Bernadette Brennan. They have two daughters Madeline and Caitlin. His father is Gerald Gleeson AC, a former senior public servant in the Labor Government in New South Wales. One of his brothers, Fabian Gleeson, is a former judge of the New South Wales Court of Appeal.{{cite web|title=Swearing In Ceremony of the Honourable Justice Fabian Gleeson SC|url=http://nswca.jc.nsw.gov.au/courtofappeal/Speeches/gleeson_20130429.pdf|date=29 April 2013|access-date=25 October 2016}} His father-in-law is former High Court Chief Justice Sir Gerard Brennan. His elder daughter is author Madeline Gleeson.Gadfly, The Saturday Paper, 14–20 May 2016, p. 17
References
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{{s-bef|before=Stephen Gageler }}
{{s-ttl|title=Solicitor-General of Australia |years=2013–2016}}
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Category:Alumni of the University of Oxford
Category:Australian people of Irish descent
Category:Australian Senior Counsel