Harold Glass
Encyclopedia
Rear Admiral the Honorable Justice Harold Hyam Glass AO, RFD, RAN, QC, (21 August 1918 – 29 March 1989) was a former judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales
, judge of the New South Wales Court of Appeal and Judge Advocate General for the Royal Australian Navy
(RAN).
, and on completion of his secondary studies took an Arts Degree at the University of Sydney
, majoring in French and German. During his time at the University of Sydney, he shared the medal in philosophy with the eminent twentieth century philosopher John Leslie Mackie. He joined the RAN Volunteer Reserve in 1942, serving aboard the cruisers and , and the American ship . Glass left the RAN in 1946 at the rank of Lieutenant.
at Lieberman & Tobias for two years before being admitted to the New South Wales Bar in 1948. He practised at the bar until his appointment to the bench at the Supreme Court of New South Wales in 1973, taking silk
in 1962, and sitting as President of the New South Wales Bar Association in 1973. He was appointed a Judge of Appeal in 1974, a position he retained until 1987.
Board of Inquiry following the collision between the Australian aircraft carrier and the American destroyer . Glass was promoted to the rank of Captain Special Branch in 1963. He was appointed to the office of Judge Advocate-General with the rank of Commodore in 1978, and was promoted to Rear Admiral in 1980, shortly before he was placed on the retired list. He continued to serve as the Judge Advocate-General for the Navy until 1983.
soon after he graduated, and later he lectured in procedure. After he retired, he became a visiting professor at the University of New South Wales
. He was the co-author of The Liability of Employers, described by the NSW Bar Association's Bar News as "one of the few really first rate Australian legal treatises", and the editor of the Essays on Evidence. In addition, he contributed articles to the leading legal journals.
Glass also, under the nom de plume Benjamin Sidney, published two works of legal fiction
, Discord Within The Bar in 1981, and Sherman for the Plaintiff in 1987. The Harold H. Glass Memorial Prize was established at the University of Western Australia
to honour the memory of Glass, and is awarded each year to the most able student in the subject of Torts.
Glass died on 29 March 1989, in Sydney.
Supreme Court of New South Wales
The Supreme Court of New South Wales is the highest state court of the Australian State of New South Wales...
, judge of the New South Wales Court of Appeal and Judge Advocate General for the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
(RAN).
Early life and military service
Glass was born in Sydney on 21 August 1918, the son of lawyer S. B. Glass. He was raised a Jew and identified strongly as a secular Jew for the remainder of his life. He excelled as a student of Sydney Boys High SchoolSydney Boys High School
Sydney Boys High School is an academically selective public secondary school for boys, located in the City of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, with 1,180 students, from years 7 to 12...
, and on completion of his secondary studies took an Arts Degree at 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...
, majoring in French and German. During his time at the University of Sydney, he shared the medal in philosophy with the eminent twentieth century philosopher John Leslie Mackie. He joined the RAN Volunteer Reserve in 1942, serving aboard the cruisers and , and the American ship . Glass left the RAN in 1946 at the rank of Lieutenant.
Legal career
Returning to Sydney after the end of World War II, Glass took his Bachelor of Laws degree at the University of Sydney, and articledArticled clerk
An articled clerk, also known as an articling student, is an apprentice in a professional firm in Commonwealth countries. Generally the term arises in the accountancy profession and in the legal profession. The articled clerk signs a contract, known as "articles of clerkship", committing to a...
at Lieberman & Tobias for two years before being admitted to the New South Wales Bar in 1948. He practised at the bar until his appointment to the bench at the Supreme Court of New South Wales in 1973, taking silk
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...
in 1962, and sitting as President of the New South Wales Bar Association in 1973. He was appointed a Judge of Appeal in 1974, a position he retained until 1987.
Naval career
Glass rejoined the RAN in 1966 as a Commander Special Branch, ARNR (Australian Royal Navy Reserve) as a member of the Reserve Legal Panel. In 1969, Glass served as Australia's leading counsel in the joint RAN-USNUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
Board of Inquiry following the collision between the Australian aircraft carrier and the American destroyer . Glass was promoted to the rank of Captain Special Branch in 1963. He was appointed to the office of Judge Advocate-General with the rank of Commodore in 1978, and was promoted to Rear Admiral in 1980, shortly before he was placed on the retired list. He continued to serve as the Judge Advocate-General for the Navy until 1983.
Academic and other work
Glass lectured in contracts and torts at the University of SydneyUniversity 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...
soon after he graduated, and later he lectured in procedure. After he retired, he became a visiting professor at the University of New South Wales
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
. He was the co-author of The Liability of Employers, described by the NSW Bar Association's Bar News as "one of the few really first rate Australian legal treatises", and the editor of the Essays on Evidence. In addition, he contributed articles to the leading legal journals.
Glass also, under the nom de plume Benjamin Sidney, published two works of legal fiction
Legal drama
A legal drama is a work of dramatic fiction about crime and civil litigation. Subtypes of legal dramas include courtroom dramas and legal thrillers, and come in all forms, including novels, television shows, and films. Legal drama sometimes overlap with crime drama, most notably in the case of Law...
, Discord Within The Bar in 1981, and Sherman for the Plaintiff in 1987. The Harold H. Glass Memorial Prize was established at the University of Western Australia
University of Western Australia
The University of Western Australia was established by an Act of the Western Australian Parliament in February 1911, and began teaching students for the first time in 1913. It is the oldest university in the state of Western Australia and the only university in the state to be a member of the...
to honour the memory of Glass, and is awarded each year to the most able student in the subject of Torts.
Glass died on 29 March 1989, in Sydney.