Author Meets Reader - Sir Gerard Brennan Biography

Join us for an exciting event in which the author, Jeff Fitzgerald and Emeritus Professor Paul Redmond discuss Jeff’s recently published book which celebrates the life and work of Sir Gerard Brennan AC KBE GBS QC,  the 10th Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia, and the author of the lead judgment in Mabo v Queensland (No 2) (1992). The book is a comprehensive judicial biography which explicates how Brennan exercised his responsibility as a member of a Court of Final Appeal to “keep the law in good shape” as a necessary requirement of the judicial oath to administer justice according to law. 

It explores the disciplined methodology Brennan saw to be necessary for each judge to employ in making decisions within the collective “jurisprudential dialectics” between all members of the Court over time. It outlines how Brennan understood that responsibility to entail the disciplined application of legal logic to legal principles and rules as understood and informed by fundamental societal and legal values within the realities of contemporary society. In doing so the book explores significant aspects of Brennan’s early life, education, career at the Bar, and the Inaugural Presidency of the AAT, family, and religious and philosophical beliefs in informing the application of that methodology. The portrait which emerges does justice to Brennan the man, as well as Brennan the judge. For more information about the book 

• About the author.  Jeff Fitzgerald has a Ph.D in the Sociology of Law and is a former Registrar of UTS who worked closely with Sir Gerard Brennan when he was the Chancellor of UTS (1999-2005). In writing this book, Jeff interviewed Sir Gerard Brennan over many hours, was given access to personal documents and interviewed many friends, family and colleagues.
• About the reader. Emeritus Professor Paul Redmond was the inaugural UTS Law Faculty Co-director of the Brennan Justice and Leadership Program. That Program, which has been developed in partnership with the UTS Law Student’s Society, is named in honour of Sir Gerard Brennan because his life and work exemplified the qualities of professional leadership, service and excellence that the Program seeks to nurture.

The book will be available at the event at a discounted price for students. Brennan students who attend will also be in the running for copies as a lucky door prize! 

Brennan students who attend will be awarded 5 ROJ points and the event team will apply this internally to your CareerHub workflow post-event.

Numbers are limited and afternoon tea will be served, please RSVP to attend this event.