Internationally recognised lawyer, Federal Court Justice and academic James Edelman has been appointed a Judge of the High Court of Australia – one of the youngest-ever appointments to the High Court at the age of 42.Justice Edelman was the youngest-ever judge appointed to the Supreme Court of Western Australia in 2011 before being recruited last year to the Federal Court based in Brisbane.
Prime Minister Turnbull has described Justice Edelman as "one of the most outstanding legal minds of his generation".
He graduated with a Bachelor of Business from Murdoch University in 1997, which he undertook simultaneously with studies in economics and law at the University of WA.
Justice Edelman completed his articles of clerkship with Blake Dawson and was admitted to practice in 1998.
Following his acceptance into the law profession, Professor Edelman was named Western Australia's Rhodes Scholar and completed his doctorate at Oxford University three years later.
Justice Edelman has continued to work in both academic and legal professions throughout his career.
Justice Edelman lectured at universities in Australia, Britain, Europe and the United States, and in 2008, he was appointed Professor of the Law of Obligations at Oxford University, becoming the youngest professor of law in the university's history.
He has also practised at the bar in both Perth and London before joining the WA Supreme Court in 2011 at the age of 37, one of the youngest judges ever appointed.
Justice Edelman has continued his relationship with Murdoch University since graduation.
From 2013 until his departure to the Federal bench in Queensland 2014, Justice Edelman was also a member of the Dean's External Advisory Group at Murdoch Law School.
The Dean of the Law School, Professor Jürgen Bröhmer said “that Justice Edelman's career path and speed is fairly unique not only in Australia but throughout the world.
“Justice Edelman's appointment at such a young age reflects a wealth of professional and international experience that few successful people could claim for a lifetime.
“I am now hoping that his connection to our Law School will bring him back here as a speaker in the not too distant future.”