Laurence Street

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Sir Laurence Whistler Street AC KCMG QC HFAIB was an Australian judge serving on the Supreme Court of New South Wales in New South Wales (NSW).

Street is the son of a New South Wales Supreme Court Chief Justice and a famous Aboriginal activist and feminist. His father Sir Kenneth Whistler Street was Chief Justice between 1950 and 1960 following in the footsteps of Sir Lawrence's grandfather. [1] His mother Jessie Street was renowned for her work for Aboriginal and women's rights. She "masterminded the formation of the Aboriginal Rights Organisation, which led to the successful Referendum held in 1967". [2]

Street attended the Cranbook School in Sydney. After a stint in the navy, he studied law at the University of Sydney. Street became a Barrister at the New South Wales Bar in 1951.[3] As a Barrister he practised extensively in equity, commercial law and admiralty.[4]

In 1965 he was appointed judge of the New South Wales Supreme Court in the Equity Division.[5] The New South Wales Supreme Court is divided into two branches being the Equity Division and the Common Law Division.[6] The Equity Division deals with Commercial, Admiralty, Probate and Protective law matters. The Common Law Division deals with Criminal and Administrative law matters. Each has a Chief Judge.[7]

Street became Chief Justice of the New South Wales Supreme Court in 1974 and retired in 1988.[8]

Since 1989 he has worked as a Commercial Mediator and ADR Consultant. This work has included 1,500 mediations, mainly involving major commercial disputes.[9]

In 2007 he branched out into Criminal Law heading a review of a decision by the Queensland Director of Public Prosecution's decision in the Chris Hurley case.[10]

He is a member of several professional organisations, including an Honorary Fellow of the Australian Institute of Building, a professional institute that is incorporated by Royal Charter.[11]

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Preceded by
John Robert Kerr		 Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court of New South Wales
1974 - 1988		 Succeeded by
Anthony Murray Gleeson

[edit] References

  1. ^ Sir Kenneth Whistler Street, Australian Dictionary of Biography Online Edition , 2006
  2. ^ Papers of Jessie Street (1889 - 1970), National Library of Australia, December 4, 2006
  3. ^ The Honourable Lawrence Whistler Street, Lawlink NSW, May 13, 1999
  4. ^ The Honourable Lawrence Whistler Street, Lawlink NSW, May 13, 1999
  5. ^ The Honourable Sir Lawrence Street, Sir Lawrence Street, 2003
  6. ^ About Us, Supreme Court of New South Wales, March 23, 2007
  7. ^ About Us, Supreme Court of New South Wales, March 23, 2007
  8. ^ The Honourable Sir Lawrence Street, Sir Lawrence Street, 2003
  9. ^ The Honourable Sir Lawrence Street, Sir Lawrence Street, 2003
  10. ^ Aboriginal leaders applaud Mulrunji review appointment, ABC News Online, January 4, 2007
  11. ^ www.aib.org.au, AIB List of Honorary Members, March 19, 2006