Laurence Street
Encyclopedia
Sir Laurence Whistler Street AC, KCMG, QC
(born 3 July 1926) is an Australia
n jurist and former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales
.
. 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
". His sister Philippa married the Australian Test cricketer and journalist Jack Fingleton
.
. After a stint in the Royal Australian Navy
, he studied law at the University of Sydney
. Street became a barrister at the New South Wales Bar in 1951. As a barrister he practised extensively in equity, commercial law and maritime law.
In 1965 he was appointed judge of the New South Wales Supreme Court in the Equity Division. In 1974, at age 47, Street became the state's second-youngest Chief Justice (Sir Alfred Stephen
was 42 when appointed Chief Justice in 1844). In 1976 he was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
(KCMG). He retired in 1988 and was appointed Companion of the Order of Australia
(AC) in 1989.
Since 1989 he has worked as a commercial mediator and an alternative dispute resolution
consultant. This work has included 1,500 mediations, mainly involving major commercial disputes. In 2007 he branched out into criminal law, heading a review of a decision by the Queensland Director of Public Prosecution in the Chris Hurley
case.
He is a member of several professional organisations, including an Honorary Fellow of the Australian Institute of Building
. and an Honorary Member of the Society of Construction Law Australia.
Street has said: "I've never felt constrained in my private life by the cast-iron requirements of society. I got divorced, I remarried, and had a second family of one. I have led a life that has not necessarily always conformed to the strict Victorian standards".
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 3 July 1926) is an 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...
n jurist and former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales
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...
.
Family
Street is the son of a New South Wales Supreme Court Chief Justice. His father Sir Kenneth Street was Chief Justice between 1950 and 1960 following in the footsteps of Sir Laurence's grandfather, Sir Philip Whistler StreetPhilip Whistler Street
Sir Philip Whistler Street KCMG was the eighth Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales. Street was a distinguished lawyer, patron of many benevolent institutions and also the lieutenant governor of New South Wales. Biographer Percival Serle states "Street had the culture, dignity...
. His mother Jessie Street
Jessie Street
Jessie Mary Grey Street was an Australian suffragette, feminist and human rights campaigner....
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
Australian referendum, 1967 (Aboriginals)
The referendum of 27 May 1967 approved two amendments to the Australian constitution relating to Indigenous Australians. Technically it was a vote on the Constitution Alteration 1967, which became law on 10 August 1967 following the results of the referendum...
". His sister Philippa married the Australian Test cricketer and journalist Jack Fingleton
Jack Fingleton
John "Jack" Henry Webb Fingleton OBE was an Australian cricketer who was trained as a journalist and became a political and cricket commentator after the end of his playing career...
.
Biography
Street attended the Cranbook School in SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. After a stint in 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...
, he studied law 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...
. Street became a barrister at the New South Wales Bar in 1951. As a barrister he practised extensively in equity, commercial law and maritime law.
In 1965 he was appointed judge of the New South Wales Supreme Court in the Equity Division. In 1974, at age 47, Street became the state's second-youngest Chief Justice (Sir Alfred Stephen
Alfred Stephen
Sir Alfred Stephen was an Australian judge and chief justice of New South Wales.Stephen was born at St Christopher in the West Indies. His father, John Stephen , was related to Henry John Stephen, Sir James Stephen and Sir James FitzJames Stephen, all men of great distinction in England...
was 42 when appointed Chief Justice in 1844). In 1976 he was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(KCMG). He retired in 1988 and was appointed Companion of the Order of Australia
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"...
(AC) in 1989.
Since 1989 he has worked as a commercial mediator and an alternative dispute resolution
Alternative dispute resolution
Alternative Dispute Resolution includes dispute resolution processes and techniques that act as a means for disagreeing parties to come to an agreement short of litigation. ADR basically is an alternative to a formal court hearing or litigation...
consultant. This work has included 1,500 mediations, mainly involving major commercial disputes. In 2007 he branched out into criminal law, heading a review of a decision by the Queensland Director of Public Prosecution in the Chris Hurley
2004 Palm Island death in custody
The 2004 Palm Island death in custody incident relates to the death of Palm Island, Queensland resident, Mulrunji on Friday, 19 November 2004 in a police cell. The death of Mulrunji led to civic disturbances on the island and a legal, political and media sensation that continued for three years...
case.
He is a member of several professional organisations, including an Honorary Fellow of the Australian Institute of Building
Australian Institute of Building
The Australian Institute of Building is a professional society founded in 1951, incorporated in 1955 and granted a Royal Charter in 1969. It has chapter offices in Hong Kong and Singapore and had a chapter office in New Zealand until the formation of the New Zealand Institute of Building in...
. and an Honorary Member of the Society of Construction Law Australia.
Street has said: "I've never felt constrained in my private life by the cast-iron requirements of society. I got divorced, I remarried, and had a second family of one. I have led a life that has not necessarily always conformed to the strict Victorian standards".