The Honourable James Spigelman AC was appointed as Chief Justice of NSW and Lieutenant Governor in 1998. From 1972 he was Senior Advisor and Principal Private Secretary to Prime Minister Whitlam, before appointment as Permanent Secretary of the Department of Media in 1975.

He commenced practice at the NSW Bar in 1980.He was appointed as Queen’s Counsel in 1986. He has served on the boards of various art and education institutions.

He is the author of Secrecy (1972), Becket and Henry(2004), Statutory Interpretation and Human Rights (2008) and co-author of The Nuclear Barons (1981). A collection of his addresses is published, Speeches of a Chief Justice(2008).