Murray Gleeson

Roddy Meagher, a brother judge, was overheard to say that Murray takes no interest in music or art. He does, however, like flowers; he glares at them until they wilt. This is an engaging biography. ... the dramas and behind-the-scenes details I lapped up. Read full review... - Clive Hodges, Good Reading, October 2014 The book's style is informative, insightful and entertaining. It is difficult to do it justice in a brief review such as this. A great deal of detail is provided in relation to key events, so that readers come away from the book with a sense that they have come to know something substantial of the personality, the humour and the intellect of its subject. In achieving this, Pelly has achieved an excellent legal biography. Read full review... - Douglas J James, InPrint, Law Institute Journal Victoria, September 2014 Despite appearances, this is not a book for lawyers about a lawyer. That virtue stems from Pelly's ability to distil accurately the facts and principles of complex litigation with brevity so that they serve, not dominate, his account. It is also the characters at play that frequently provide the colour: a cast of lawyers, politicians, rogues and celebrities, such as actress Kate Fitzpatrick, who memorably described Gleeson as the sexiest man I ever met . Gleeson thought her taste discerning . The feature that recurs throughout the book is Gleeson's brilliance. The biography is the catalogue of a penetrating intellect, and Pelly's engaging and accessible account delivers an insight into the man. Read full review... - Benjamin Dighton, The Australian, 6 September 2014 Pelly has organised The Smiler in a very readable way, moving through the account of Gleeson's life and career prior to taking judicial office in a simple chronological fashion. The period after Gleeson was appointed Chief Justice of NSW, and particularly Chief Justice of Australia, is handled in a more thematic fashion. There are individual chapters dedicated to the High Court's work in constitutional law, criminal law, negligence and immigration matters, as well as to Gleeson's extra-curial speeches. ... What becomes clear in the discussion of the cases in which Gleeson sat, is that his judgments - always written in an economical, almost sparse, style - have remained influential, even if they did not command support from a majority in the case itself. ... [a] wonderfully researched and presented book. ... Pelly has produced an informative and very enjoyable account of the life and career of an Australian legal giant. - Greg Weeks, Australian Journal of Administrative Law, August 2014 Murray Gleeson is not the sexiest man I ever met. However, he is the dominant counsel and judge of our age, and Michael Pelly's account should be read for this alone. Pelly starts at the beginning. On page one, Gleeson's maternal grandfather is asking the three-year-old what he wants to be. I'm going to be the Pope. Better off being Bill Dovey, the Free Presbyterian retorts. And so we have one topic and one theme which have run on through Gleeson's life. Read review... - David Ash, Francis Forbes Society, Australian Legal History, May 2014 The work provides full biographical details of Murray Gleeson's life although, appropriately, it concentrates on his career as a barrister and his role as the Chief Justice of the High Court. The author has drawn on various interviews with over 100 of Mr Gleeson's family, friends and colleagues (including former High Court judges) from which he relays numerous interesting anecdotes. Although it is a work which is written from a journalist's point of view and capable of being read and appreciated by non-lawyers, it holds much interest for those legally trained. In particular, it provides substantial insights into the workings of the High Court during Gleeson's stewardship and the interpersonal relationships of the members of the Court over that time. The work is interesting for the discussion of the manner in which Mr Gleeson was interviewed for the position as Chief Justice of the High Court and whether or not Mr Gleeson was aware at the time that he was being so interviewed. It also identifies the practice of the former Commonwealth Attorney-General, Mr Daryl Williams to interview prospective appointees to the High Court and the types of questions which were asked on that occasion. This aspect has attracted substantial media interest in the past week or so. - Queensland Law Reporter - 30 May 2014 - [2014] 20 QLR