David Bennett (barrister)
Encyclopedia
David Michael John Bennett AC
, QC
(born 22 December 1941) is an Australian barrister
and former Solicitor-General of Australia
.
, England. He was educated at Hall School (Hampstead)
, then moved with his family to Australia in 1951 and attended The Scots College
, Sydney. He subsequently attained degrees in Arts and Law (with honours), from the University of Sydney
, and an LLM and SJD
from Harvard University
.. His father, Louis Bennett, was a distinguished solicitor in Sydney, and as a Provost Major was in charge of the escort that took the German OKW to Nuremburg for trial.
in 1979.
He was president of the Australian Bar Association from 1995–96 and of the NSW Bar Association from 1995–97. Bennett was president of the Association of Lawyer Arbitrators and Mediates in 1998 and President of the Australian Academy of Forensic Sciences
from 1999–2001. He was Solicitor-General of Australia from 1998–2008. Bennett was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2003.
He is married to Annabelle Bennett, a judge of the Federal Court of Australia
.
In a September 2011
Sydney Morning Herald (Australia
) article, he addressed international agreement-making by writing that: "A non-binding promise by Australia or the US is worth more than a binding undertaking by Nazi Germany or Stalinist Russia." Its Reductio ad Hitlerum
character was alleged in a subsequent Letter to the Editor
.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
, QC
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(born 22 December 1941) is an Australian barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
and former Solicitor-General of Australia
Solicitor-General of Australia
The Solicitor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the Second Law Officer to the Attorney-General of Australia. The holders of this office are not members of parliament....
.
Early years
Bennett was born in AmershamAmersham
Amersham is a market town and civil parish within Chiltern district in Buckinghamshire, England, 27 miles north west of London, in the Chiltern Hills. It is part of the London commuter belt....
, England. He was educated at Hall School (Hampstead)
Hall School (Hampstead)
The Hall School is an independent boys' preparatory school in Belsize Park, Hampstead, London, currently teaching boys from the age of four to thirteen.-Description:The school is known for high academic standards...
, then moved with his family to Australia in 1951 and attended The Scots College
The Scots College
For other schools with a similar name see Scots College.The Scots College is an independent Presbyterian day and boarding school for boys, located in Bellevue Hill, an eastern suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
, Sydney. He subsequently attained degrees in Arts and Law (with honours), from the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
, and an LLM and SJD
Doctor of Juridical Science
Doctor of Juridical Science, Doctor of the Science of Law, Scientiae Juridicae Doctor , abbreviated J.S.D. or S.J.D., is a research doctorate in law and equivalent to the PhD It is offered primarily in the United States, where it originated, and in Canada...
from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
.. His father, Louis Bennett, was a distinguished solicitor in Sydney, and as a Provost Major was in charge of the escort that took the German OKW to Nuremburg for trial.
Career
Bennett was a solicitor from 1964–67. He was called to the NSW bar in 1967 and was appointed Queen's CounselQueen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in 1979.
He was president of the Australian Bar Association from 1995–96 and of the NSW Bar Association from 1995–97. Bennett was president of the Association of Lawyer Arbitrators and Mediates in 1998 and President of the Australian Academy of Forensic Sciences
Australian Academy of Forensic Sciences
The Australian Academy of Forensic Sciences is a multi-disciplinary learned society founded in 1967 modelled on the British Academy of Forensic Sciences...
from 1999–2001. He was Solicitor-General of Australia from 1998–2008. Bennett was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2003.
He is married to Annabelle Bennett, a judge of the Federal Court of Australia
Federal Court of Australia
The Federal Court of Australia is an Australian superior court of record which has jurisdiction to deal with most civil disputes governed by federal law , along with some summary criminal matters. Cases are heard at first instance by single Judges...
.
In a September 2011
September 2011
September 2011 was the ninth month of the current year. It began on a Thursday and ended after 30 days on a Friday.- Portal:Current events :...
Sydney Morning Herald (Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
) article, he addressed international agreement-making by writing that: "A non-binding promise by Australia or the US is worth more than a binding undertaking by Nazi Germany or Stalinist Russia." Its Reductio ad Hitlerum
Reductio ad Hitlerum
Reductio ad Hitlerum, also argumentum ad Hitlerum, is an ad hominem or ad misericordiam argument whereby an opponent's view is compared to a view that would be held by Adolf Hitler or the Nazi Party...
character was alleged in a subsequent Letter to the Editor
Letter to the editor
A letter to the editor is a letter sent to a publication about issues of concern from its readers. Usually, letters are intended for publication...
.