| Justin Gleeson | |
| Honorific-Suffix: | SC |
| 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: | 1961 4, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Alma Mater: | University of Sydney University of Oxford |
Justin Thomas Gleeson SC (born 9 April 1961[1]) is an Australian lawyer and former Solicitor-General of Australia,[2] the Commonwealth's second-ranking law officer.
Gleeson was educated at St Patrick's College, Strathfield,[1] then the University of Sydney, from which he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws (University Medal[3] and First-Class Honours).[4] Gleeson undertook postgraduate studies in the law at the University of Oxford, where he earned a Bachelor of Civil Law.[2]
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".[5] [6]
Following his resignation, Gleeson rejoined private practice and returned to Banco Chambers, the chambers that he founded.[7] In addition to acting as counsel in domestic courts, Gleeson is also currently working as an international arbitrator.[7]
In September 2017, Gleeson joined the legal team of Tony Windsor, led by Ron Merkel, in the High Court case Re: Joyce, one of the seven cases constituting the 2017 Australian constitutional crisis.[8]
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 judge on the New South Wales Court of Appeal.[9] His father-in-law is former High Court Chief Justice Sir Gerard Brennan. His elder daughter is author Madeline Gleeson.[10]