Sir James Alexander Forrest (born in Kerang, Victoria on 10 March 1905 – deceased on 26 September 1990 in Malvern, Victoria) was an Australian lawyer, businessman and philanthropist.
James Alexander Forrest was the third of five children of Scottish-born parents John Forrest and Mary Forrest, née Gray.[1]
He married Mary Christina Armit (1913–1995), the granddaughter of Sir Edward Fancourt Mitchell, on 9 December 1939[2] (or 1935[1]). They had three children: Alexander James "Alex" Forrest (1941–),[3] an engineer; William John "Bill" Forrest (1944-),[4] a solicitor; and Hugh David Forrest, an agricultural scientist.[5]
Forrest was educated at Caulfield Grammar School in Melbourne; he attended there from 1920 to 1922.[6] [7]
In 1925, he started an articled clerk's course at the University of Melbourne; and, although this course of study did not lead to a law degree, it qualified the student as both a barrister and solicitor in Victoria. He was admitted to the Victorian Bar on 3 March 1930.[8] His admission was moved by both Robert Menzies and Wilfred Fullagar, and presided over by William Irvine, then the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria.
Forrest became a prominent lawyer, specializing in corporate law. He was a partner at the firm of Hedderwicks Fookes & Alston, which later merged to become Allens Arthur Robinson.[9] His business grew thanks to his close ties with the Grimwade family, and he was eventually named a director of the Felton Grimwalde & Duerdins Ltd family holding.[1]
Jim Forrest was enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in June 1942, and discharged in September 1943.[10] He served as a Flight Lieutenant in RAAF Intelligence during his enlistment, and then worked for the Department of Aircraft Production.[11] [1]
Shortly after the war Forrest took up several board directorships of Australian companies :
From 1961 to 1971, he was a foundation member of the Council of Monash University. He was a board member of numerous charitable and educational bodies, including the Royal Children's Hospital, Scotch College, Scouts Australia, and an original member of the Victoria Law Foundation.
A portrait of Forrest, painted by William Boissevain, and donated by Alcoa, now hangs in the National Portrait Gallery at the Old Parliament House.[13]
In 1977, The Australian Financial Review called him « one of the most dominant men among Australian company directors for a quarter of a century ».[1]