Robert Bromwich Explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Honourable Justice
Robert Bromwich
Office:Judge of the Federal Court of Australia
Term Start:29 February 2016[1]
Office1:Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Norfolk Island
Predecessor1:Anthony Besanko
Office2:7th Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions
Predecessor2:Chris Craigie
Successor2:Sarah McNaughton
Nationality:Australian
Spouse:Sancia[2]
Children:4
Alma Mater:Macquarie University (LLB), University of Sydney (LLM)
Occupation:Barrister, Judge

Robert James Bromwich[3] is a Judge of the Federal Court of Australia, serving since 29 February 2016. He has also served as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Norfolk Island since May 2024[4] and as an Additional Judge of the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory since 5 September 2016,[5] and was a part-time Commissioner of the Australian Law Reform Commission from 10 April 2019 to 30 April 2020, sitting on its Inquiry on Corporate Crime.[6]

Prior to being appointed as a judge in 2016, Bromwich was the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, holding that role from 2012 until 2016.

Biography

Bromwich was born in Darwin where his father was the Chief Surgeon.[7] He moved to Canberra and then Sydney after his schooling and in 1984 completed a Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Laws from Macquarie University.[8] He commenced legal work in 1985 as a lawyer in the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions and later became an Assistant Director and trial advocate there. Bromwich's work at the CDPP covered a wide area of federal criminal law, but particularly focused on white-collar crime. He also assisted, while on secondment, in setting up the New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption, and obtained a Master of Laws from the University of Sydney in 1993.

In 1998 Bromwich moved to the private bar in New South Wales where he practised in public law, trade practices, industrial and federal criminal law. He was appointed Senior Counsel in 2009.

In December 2012, Bromwich was appointed by then-Attorney-General of Australia, Nicola Roxon as the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions for a five-year term.[9]

Bromwich undertook a number of structural reforms in the CDPP during his term as director, including moving the Office from a regional model to a practice group model with different leaders.

In February 2016, Attorney-General George Brandis appointed Bromwich to the Federal Court of Australia, and he was sworn in as a judge on 29 February 2016.[10]

In April 2019, Attorney-General Christian Porter appointed Bromwich to the Australian Law Reform Commission to help with an ongoing enquiry where Bromwich's role was to consider ways to strengthen the laws regarding the liability of corporate executives.[11]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Hon. Justice the Hon. Robert Bromwich . Australian Government Online Directory . Commonwealth of Australia . 7 September 2019.
  2. Web site: Ceremonial sitting of the Full Court - for the welcome of the Honourable Justice Bromwich . Federal Court of Australia . Commonwealth of Australia . 7 September 2019.
  3. Web site: Judges of the Court . Federal Court of Australia . Commonwealth of Australia . 7 September 2019.
  4. Web site: New Chief Justice for Supreme Court of Norfolk Island.
  5. Web site: Additional Judges . Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory . Australian Capital Territory Government . 7 September 2019.
  6. Web site: The Hon Robert James Bromwich . Australian Law Reform Commission . Commonwealth of Australia . 7 September 2019.
  7. Web site: 2020-04-18 . Ceremonial sitting of the Full Court for the welcome of the Honourable Justice Bromwich . 2023-08-25 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200418115038/https://www.fedcourt.gov.au/digital-law-library/judges-speeches/justice-bromwich/bromwich-j-20160321 . 18 April 2020 .
  8. Web site: Previous directors . Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions . Commonwealth of Australia . 7 September 2019.
  9. News: Robert Bromwich SC new head of the CDPP . 7 September 2019 . Queensland Times . 12 December 2012.
  10. Web site: Brandis . George . 25 February 2016. George Brandis . Appointments to the Federal Courts . https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20170131201000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/21248/20170201-0710/www.attorneygeneral.gov.au/Mediareleases/Pages/2016/FirstQuarter/25-February-2016-Appointments-to-the-Federal-Courts.html . dead . 31 January 2017 . Attorney-General of Australia . Commonwealth of Australia . 7 September 2019.
  11. News: Pelly . Michael . Criminal law review to target boards, secretaries . 7 September 2019 . . 10 April 2019.