Background
Chernov was born in Lithuania to Russian parents, and migrated with his family to Salzburg, Austria where he commenced his schooling.
judge barrister Governor of Victoria
Chernov was born in Lithuania to Russian parents, and migrated with his family to Salzburg, Austria where he commenced his schooling.
In 1949 his family migrated to Australia and he completed his schooling at Melbourne High School. He graduated as a Bachelor of Commerce (Bachelor of Commerce) and a Bachelor of Laws (Bachelor of Laws) (with ) from the University of Melbourne in 1961 and 1968 respectively.
Chernov was admitted to practise and signed the Roll of Counsel as a barrister in 1968, practising mostly in commercial law and equity. He was appointed Queen"s Counsel in 1980. He was Chairman of the Victorian Bar 1985-1986, Vice-President of the Australian Bar Association 1986-1987 and President of the Law Council of Australia 1990-1991.
He was Vice President of LawAsia 1995–1997.
He was the co-author with Robert Brooking Association for the Study of Internal Fixation of Tenancy Law and Practice: Victoria (1972) and the editor of its second edition (1980). In May 1997 he was appointed to the Trial Division of the Supreme Court of Victoria, and in October 1998 to the Court of Appeal of that Court.
He retired from the bench in February 2008. He was elected the 20th Chancellor of the University of Melbourne in January 2009, serving in that office until he resigned to take up the office of Governor of Victoria.
On 21 February 2011, it was announced that he would become the 28th Governor of Victoria.
He assumed that office on 8 April 2011. On the retirement of Dame Marie Bashir as Governor of New South Wales on the 1 October 2014, Chernov became the longest-serving Governor of an Australian state and by custom assumed the additional office of Administrator of the Commonwealth who exercises the powers of the Governor-General of Australia in the Governor-General"s absence or disability. Chernov"s term of office ended in June 2015, former judge Linda Dessau was appointed as his replacement.