Attorney General to speak at UQ this week

The newly appointed federal Attorney General, Senator George Brandis QC, will share his insights on the role of Australia’s chief law officer when he visits The University of Queensland this Thursday (26 September).

Senator Brandis , a UQ Arts/Law alumnus, will be the guest speaker at this year’s Minter Ellison Harry Gibbs Lecture organised by University of Queensland Law Society students.

UQLS President Mr Chad Hardy said Senator Brandis’ lecture would be an informative and inspirational experience for law students.

“It is often said that a UQ Law degree can take you to a variety of places,” Mr Hardy said.

“Senator Brandis’s career exemplifies this, and shows us that law students do have the opportunity to realise our personal aspirations and become the leaders of the future.”

Senator Brandis was sworn in as federal Attorney General last Wednesday (18 September) by fellow UQ law alumnus and Governor General of Australia, Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC, CVO.

Since Senator Brandis was elected to the Senate in 2000, his parliamentary roles have included Opposition Attorney-General and Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate.

Alongside his new role as Attorney General, he is also now Minister for the Arts and Sport.

UQ awarded First Class Honours to Senator Brandis when he graduated in 1980.

After working as a Judge’s Associate he undertook a Bachelor of Civil Law at Magdalen College at the University of Oxford as a Commonwealth Scholar.

Senator Brandis was called to the bar in 1985, took silk in 2006 and was appointed Opposition Attorney General in December 2007.

The Harry Gibbs Lecture Series is held in honour of the first UQLS President, Sir Harry Talbot Gibbs (1917–2005), who served as Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia from 1981 to 1987.

Sir Harry was a UQ alumnus: he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with honours in 1937 and a Bachelor of Laws in 1939. He served on the Supreme Court of Queensland from 1961 to 1967

Details: The Minter Ellison Harry Gibbs Lecture
Thursday 26 September, 11am to 1pm
Level 2 Auditorium, Sir Llew Edwards Building, St Lucia Campus
Please click here to register

Contact: Chad Hardy, UQLS, c.hardy@uqls.com. Melissa Reynolds, UQ TC Beirne School of Law 07 3365 2523, m.reynolds@law.uq.edu.au.