The Hon. Andrew Bell

Biography

The Hon. Andrew Bell was sworn in as Chief Justice of New South Wales on 7 March 2022. Prior to being appointed as Chief Justice, his Honour was President of the New South Wales Court of Appeal, having been appointed to that position on 28 February 2019. His Honour is also President of the Judicial Commission of New South Wales.

His Honour graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws, receiving First Class Honours and the University Medal in both degrees, and was also awarded the Sydney University Convocation Medal. He was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University where he graduated in 1993 with First Class Honours in the BCL, also being awarded the Vinerian Scholarship for first place in that degree. His Honour completed his doctorate the following year with his thesis forming the basis for his subsequent book Forum Shopping and Venue in Transnational Litigation published by Oxford University Press. He is also co-author of Nygh's Conflict of Laws in Australia and has taught and published extensively, especially in relation to private international law and transnational litigation.

His Honour was admitted to the Bar in 1995 and was appointed Senior Counsel in 2006. During his time at the Bar, his Honour had a broad national practice at trial and appellate levels, and was also engaged in numerous international arbitrations. At the time of his appointment to the Bench, his Honour was Senior Vice-President of the New South Wales Bar Association. He is also Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Sydney where he taught part time for many years.

Beyond the law, the Chief Justice is an avid cricket fan and was formerly the long-time Chairman of Sculpture by the Sea.

Speeches

Delivered by the Chief Justice

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Appointments

Lieutenant-Governor of New South Wales

President of the Judicial Commission of NSW

Chair, Supreme Court Executive Committee

Chair, Supreme Court Rules Committee

Chair, Uniform Rules Committee

Chair, Supreme Court Bicentenary Planning Committee

Chair, Judicial Section of LAWASIA, convening the Biennial Conference of Chief Justices of Asia and the Pacific

Chair, Legal Profession Admission Board

Member, Council of Chief Justices of Australia and New Zealand

Adjunct Professor of Law, University of Sydney Law School

Honorary Bencher of Lincoln’s Inn, London

Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law

Recent commitments

Delegations and international assistance

6 March

Official visit - Her Excellency Mrs Ardi Stoios-Braken, Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Australia and Mr Hugo Klijn, Consul-General of the Netherlands in Sydney

17 April

Official visit – His Excellency Mr Ernesto Cespedes Oropeza, Ambassador of Mexico to the Commonwealth of Australia and Dr. Rafael Martínez-Blanco

14 May

Meeting with Minister Mike Freer, British Parliamentary Under-Secretary of state for Courts and Legal Services with the Hon. Michael Daley MP, Attorney General (NSW) and Mr Michael Tidball, Secretary of the Department of Communities and Justice

4 July

Official visit - His Excellency Mr Pham Hung Tam, Ambassador of Vietnam to Australia with Dr NGUYEN Dang Thang, Consul-General of Vietnam in Sydney and Mr PHAM Duy Thuc, First Secretary, Vietnam Embassy in Australia

25 July

Official visit – Mr Shuichi Tokuda, Consul-General of Japan in Sydney and President Julie Ward

31 July

Official visit - His Excellency Dr Fahad Obaid Mohamed Al Taffag, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to the Commonwealth of Australia; Miss Adhra Almansoori, Head of the Economic Section; Mr Hamad Alkabi, Head of the Political Section; and Mr Conor Sherriff, Political Researcher at the UAE Embassy

21 August

Official visit – His Excellency Mr Andrew Needs, High Commissioner of New Zealand to Australia and Mr Bill Dobbie, Consul-General of New Zealand in Sydney

7 November

Official visit – Her Excellency Ms Arajaree Sriratanaban, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand with Mrs Hattaya Khusakul, Consul-General of Thailand, Ms Namrin Anukul, Consul of Thailand and Mr Pawornwat Simaskul, First Secretary at the Royal Thai Embassy in Canberra

14 November

Meeting with new Japanese Consul-General of Japan in Sydney, Mr Osamu Yamanaka and Vice-Consul, Mr Katsumi Shimmura

20 November

Official visit – The Hon. Justice Katsuya Uga of the Supreme Court of Japan, His Honour Judge Yotaro Oda of the Civil Division of the Sendia High Court, His Honour Judge Hirofumi Higashi of Sendai District Court of Japan and Prof. Luke Nottage, Co-Director, Australian Network for Japanese Law, University of Sydney

2 December

Official visit – delegation of Senior Judges from the Supreme and District Courts of Indonesia as part of the Department of Home Affairs ‘Australia Visit Program’: Deputy Chief Justice Suharto (Deputy Chief Justice of Supreme Court for Non-Judicial Matters), Dr Prim Haryadi (Chair for Criminal Chambers), Yohanes Priyana (Justice at the Criminal Chambers), Dwi Sugiarto (Justice at the Criminal Chamber), Sugeng Sutrisno (Justice at the Military Chambers), Syofia Tambunan (Judge at North Jakarta District Court), Riyono (Judge at the East Jakarta District Court) and Astriyani (Coordinator for Judicial Reform Office). Meeting with Justice Julie Ward, Justice Ian Harrison, Justice Christine Adamson, Justice Sarah McNaughton, the Hon. Peter Johnson SC, Chief Commissioner of LECC, Ms Una Doyle, CEO of the Judicial Commission of New South Wales and Ms Catherine Kenny, Director Research and Education, Judicial Commission of New South Wales (Supreme Court, Sydney)

Speaking engagements

29 January	Attendance at Opening of Law Term Service - Red Mass (St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney)
29 January	Attendance at Opening of Law Term Service (St James’ King Street, Sydney)
6 February	Attendance at Opening of Law Term Service (St Matthew’s Church, Albury)
6 February	Attendance at Opening of Law Term Service (Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation of Our Lady, Redfern)
7 February	Attendance at Opening of Law Term Service (The Great Synagogue, Sydney)
15 February	Attendance at the farewell sitting for Justice John Sackar (Supreme Court, Sydney)
20 February	Attendance at the Judicial Commission of NSW Cross-jurisdictional seminar ‘Sovereign Citizens’ (Banco Court, Sydney)
27 February	Attendance at the unveiling of the portrait of the Hon. James Allsop AC (Federal Court, Sydney)
7 March	Attendance at the funeral for former Judicial Commission of NSW Chief Executive, Mr Ernest Schmatt AM PSM (St Aloysius Catholic Church, Cronulla)
8 March	Attendance at the Law Society of NSW’s International Women's Day Breakfast (Law Society of NSW)
11 March	Attendance at the official opening of The Michael Kirby Building (Macquarie University)
12 March	Attendance at the farewell sitting for Acting Justice Carolyn Simpson AO (Supreme Court, Sydney)
14-15 March	Attendance at the Eighth Judicial Seminar on Commercial Litigation (Hong Kong)
4 April	Official guest and wreath laying at the RSL and Schools Remember ANZAC Commemoration (Anzac Memorial, Hyde Park, Sydney)
6-7 April	Attendance at the National Judicial College of Australia Conference, ‘AI and the Courts’ and the inaugural John Doyle Oration delivered by the Hon. Stephen Gageler AC, Chief Justice of Australia (National Portrait Gallery, Canberra)
10 April	Attendance at the NSW Bar Association event ‘Remembering the Hon. Andrew Rogers AO KC’ (Banco Court, Sydney)
11 April	Attendance at the Brian Johns Lecture, 'Donald Trump, American authoritarianism and how journalists should cover it' (State Library, Sydney)
15 April	Attendance at St John’s College dinner, dinner speaker the Hon. P A Bergin AO SC
20-21 April	Attendance at the Standing International Forum of Commercial Courts (SIFoCC) 5th Full Meeting (Doha, Qatar)
23-26 April	Attendance at the Durham University 4th Commercial Roundtable (Durham University, UK)
30 April	Attendance at welcome ceremony for Justice Sarah Huggett as Chief Judge of the District Court of New South Wales (Banco Court, Sydney)
1 May	Attendance at Lowy Institute for Address by the Hon. Dr Jim Chalmers MP, Treasurer, ‘Economic security and the Australian opportunity in a world of churn and change’
16 May	Official guest at the Interfaith Evensong to commemorate the Bicentenary of the Supreme Court (St James’ King Street Church)
17 May	Bicentennial Sitting of the Supreme Court of New South Wales (Banco Court)
30 & 30 May	Attendance at Gilbert & Sullivan’s Trial by Jury (Banco Court, Sydney)
4 June	Attendance at swearing-in ceremony for Justice Mark Leeming as Administrator of the Government of the State (Government House, Sydney)
7 June	61st Meeting of the Council of Chief Justices of Australia and New Zealand (High Court, Canberra)
12 June	Attendance at farewell event for Professor Simon Bronitt as Dean of Sydney Law School (University of Sydney)
14 June	Attendance at NSW Bar Association’s First Nations Committee and The Indigenous Barristers’ Trust The Mum Shirl Fund Event, ‘First Nations Pathway to the Bar’ (NSW Bar Association Common Room)
14 June	Attendance at NSW Bar Association’s event ‘Gay Bar drinks’ (Avenue on Chifley)
18 June	Attendance at the Spigelman Oration, ‘The myth and the history of the continuity in the common law’ delivered by Justice Jayne Jagot (Banco Court, Sydney)
5 July	Attendance at the Farewell Ceremony for Judge Peter Johnstone as Chief Magistrate of NSW (Downing Centre, Sydney)
16 July	Attendance at the Australian Academy of Law book launch of Enduring Courts in Changing Times: celebrating the 2024 Bicentenaries of the Supreme Court of New South Wales and Tasmania, launched by the Hon. T F Bathurst AC KC (Supreme Court, Sydney)
18 July	Attendance at the Welcome Ceremony for Justice Jane Paingakulam (Industrial Relations Court, Sydney)
19 July	Attendance at the Legislative Council Bicentenary Seminar Series, Pride & Precedent: Law, Representation, Reform (Parliament House, Sydney)
24 July	Attendance at the retirement event for Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM as President of the Australian Human Rights Commission (Wentworth Galleries, Sydney)
25 July	Attendance at the Sir James Martin Oration, delivered by Mr Bret Walker AO SC (Gilbert + Tobin, Sydney)
5 August	Attendance at the swearing-in ceremony for Mr John Catsanos SC (District Court, Sydney)
15 August	Attendance at the farewell sitting for Justice Richard Button (Supreme Court, Sydney)
15 August	Attendance at a special address given by the Rt Hon. Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister of New Zealand (Lowy Institute)
18 August	Official guest and wreath laying at the Vietnam Veterans Day (The Cenotaph, Martin Place)
19 August	Attendance at the St John’s College Formal Dinner, guest speaker the Hon. Judge Amul Thapar, United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
25 August	Official guest at the NSW Legislative Council Bicentenary Interfaith Service (St James’ King Street Church)
30-31 August	Supreme Court Conference (Newcastle)
3 September	Attendance at the John Lehane Memorial Lecture, ‘Contractual interpretation: An Anglo/Australian journey’, delivered by the Rt. Hon. Lord Hamblen of Kersey, Supreme Court of the United Kingdom (Banco Court, Sydney)
4 September	Official guest and wreath laying at the Battle for Australia commemoration (The Cenotaph, Sydney)
9 September	Official guest, St Paul’s College Law Dinner in honour of Professor Fleur Johns (St Paul’s College, University of Sydney)
10 September	Attendance at the 2024 Plunkett Lecture, ‘Liberty not Licence: The law's response to the challenges of ethno-religious sectarianism in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Australia”, delivered by Dr Jeff Kildea (Banco Court, Sydney)
12 September	Attendance at the Bathurst Lecture, ‘Modern centrality of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 in the regulation of commercial conduct', delivered by ACCC Commissioner Liza Carver (Banco Court, Sydney)
11-14 October	Attendance at the 19th Conference of Chief Justices of Asia and the Pacific Conference (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
20 October	Official guest at the official exhibition launch for Legacy & Evolution (Art Gallery of NSW)
23 October	Attendance at the Maurice Byers Lecture, ‘Judicial Review of Statutes’, delivered by Justice Nye Perram (NSW Bar Association Common Room)
24 October	Attendance at the Women Barristers Forum Event 20 year anniversary, guest speaker the Hon. Viriginia Bell AC (Portrait Gallery, Supreme Court, Sydney)
24 October	Attendance at the Bench & Bar Drinks event hosted by Corrs Chambers Westgarth
30 October	Official guest at the reception on the occasion of the 101st Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic of Turkey (Dover Heights, Sydney)
5 November	Attendance at the Joint Francis Forbes Society and Ngara Yura Committee – Walama List Panel Discussion (Banco Court, Sydney)
7 November	Attendance at the funeral service for the Hon. JMN (Moreton) Rolfe KC (St James’ King Street Church)
8 November	Attendance at the swearing-in ceremony for Mr Guy Newton SC (District Court, Sydney)
11 November	Attendance at the swearing-in ceremonies for Mr David Scully SC and Mr Thomas Jones (District Court, Sydney)
11 November	Official guest and laying a wreath at the Remembrance Day Service (Cenotaph Martin Place)
13 November	Attendance at the Women Barristers Forum - Women Silks event (Verandah Bar, Sydney)
26 November	Attendance at farewell ceremony for Justice David Yates (Federal Court, Sydney)
2 December	Official guest at the dinner in honour of General the Honourable David Hurley AC CVO DSC (Retd) and Mrs Linda Hurley hosted by Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC, Governor of New South Wales (Government House, Sydney)
17 December	Attendance at the funeral service for the Hon. TEF Hughes AO KC (St Mary Magdalene Church, Rose Bay)

Publications

Andrew Bell, ‘Foreword’ and ch 5 in Keith Mason and Larissa Reid (eds), Constant Guardian Changing Times: The Supreme Court of New South Wales 1824-2024 (Judicial Commission of NSW, 2024) & other contributions to multiple chapters

Andrew Bell, ‘The bicentenary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales’ (2024) 98(5) Australian Law Journal 314

Chief Justice Andrew Bell, ‘Address on the occasion of the bicentennial sitting of the Supreme Court of New South Wales’ (2024 Winter) Bar News 24

Andrew S Bell, ‘Innovative Justice’ (2000-2023) 16 The Newcastle Law Review 22