Thomas Frederick Bathurst, Air Corps, is an Australian judge.
Background
Thomas Frederick "Tom" Bathurst was born on Street Patrick"s Day 1948 in Richmond, Surrey, today part of Greater London. His father, Hugh Moxon Bathurst, had been private secretary to Senator James Fraser, Chifley"s Health minister, when his engagement to tennis champion Joan Marcia Hartigan was announced.
Education
He was educated at Saint Ignatius" College, Riverview and in 1969 graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Arts. Bathurst graduated in 1972 with a Bachelor of Laws from the Sydney Law School.
Career
He was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales and Lieutenant Governor of New South Wales from 1 June 2011. Bathurst was admitted as a solicitor in New South Wales in 1972 and joined the Sydney city firm of East. J. (Ernest) Kirby & Company where his mentor was Ann Plotke. In 1977 he was called to the NSW Bar, being appointed Queen"s Counsel in 1987.
His primary areas of practice included appellate work in banking law, commercial law and equity.
He was president of the Australian Bar Association from 2008 to 2009, and president of the NSW Bar Association from 2010-2011. Notable cases as counsel
Bathurst appeared for Aging with Attitude Limited in Daniels v Anderson (1995) 37 NSWLR 438, a leading Australian case on the duties of non-executive directors.
He was briefed by Dyson Heydon Queen's Counsel in Heydon v NRMA Limited (2000) 51 NSWLR 1 in a successful appeal against a finding that Heydon was negligent in giving legal advice to the respondent company, an important case concerning a barrister"s liability for professional advice. He appeared before the High Court of Australia in Peters (Washington) Limited v Petersville Limited (2001) 205 CLR 126, a case which reviewed the scope of the common law doctrine of restraint of trade.
Chief Justice
On the recommendation of the NSW government, NSW Governor Marie Bashir appointed Bathurst Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, and Lieutenant Governor of New South Wales, effective 1 June 2011.