| Honorific-Prefix: | The Honourable |
| Jim Kennan | |
| Nationality: | Australian |
| Office1: | 23rd Deputy Premier of Victoria |
| Term Start1: | 10 August 1990 |
| Term End1: | 6 October 1992 |
| Premier1: | Joan Kirner |
| Predecessor1: | Joan Kirner |
| Successor1: | Pat McNamara |
| Office2: | Leader of the Opposition of Victoria |
| Term Start2: | 22 March 1993 |
| Term End2: | 29 June 1993 |
| Premier2: | Jeff Kennett |
| Deputy2: | Bob Sercombe |
| Predecessor2: | Joan Kirner |
| Successor2: | John Brumby |
| Office3: | Leader of the Labor Party in Victoria |
| Term Start3: | 22 March 1993 |
| Term End3: | 29 June 1993 |
| Deputy3: | Bob Sercombe |
| Predecessor3: | Joan Kirner |
| Successor3: | John Brumby |
| Office4: | Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Broadmeadows |
| Term Start4: | 1 October 1988 |
| Term End4: | 29 June 1993 |
| Predecessor4: | Jack Culpin |
| Successor4: | John Brumby |
| Office5: | Member of the Victorian Legislative Council for Thomastown |
| Term Start5: | 1 June 1982 |
| Term End5: | 23 August 1988 |
| Predecessor5: | Dolph Eddy |
| Successor5: | Abolished |
| Birth Date: | 25 February 1946 |
| Birth Place: | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Birthname: | James Harley Kennan |
| Party: | Labor Party |
| Spouse: | Janet Alexander (m. 1969) |
| Profession: | Barrister |
| Alma Mater: | University of Melbourne |
James Harley Kennan SC (25 February 1946 – 4 August 2010)[1] was an Australian politician and later adjunct professor of law at Deakin University.[2]
Kennan earned a Master of Laws from the University of Melbourne. He was a member of parliament between 1982 and 1993, initially in the Victorian Legislative Council, and then in the Legislative Assembly as the member for Broadmeadows and was Deputy Premier of Victoria from 1990 to 1992.
After the defeat of the Labor Party Government at the 1992 state election, and the later retirement of leader Joan Kirner in March 1993 he became the Leader of the Opposition until his shock retirement from Parliament three months later. He was succeeded as leader and member for Broadmeadows by a former member of the Legislative Council, John Brumby. To date, Kennan is the last Victorian Labor leader who did not become Premier.
He worked as a Senior Counsel in the Victorian legal system, most notably representing Jack Thomas at his re-trial on terrorism charges in late 2008.[3]
Kennan died on 4 August 2010, aged 64, after a battle with cancer.[4]