The Honourable former Justice Paul Finn is a distinguished jurist and former judge of the Federal Court of Australia.
Born in Brisbane in 1946, former Justice Finn completed his undergraduate studies at UQ, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 1967 followed by a Bachelor of Laws in 1969. In 1977 he completed his PhD at Cambridge University, where he also won the Yorke Prize. His PhD formed the basis of his most renowned book, Fiduciary Obligations (1977), which in 2016 was republished as a 40th anniversary edition.
Former Justice Finn worked as an academic for many years – briefly at UQ and then at Australian National University (ANU), where he spent much of his career until his appointment as a judge in the Federal Court of Australia in 1995. Recognised for his work on fiduciary obligations, equity, and integrity of government, former Justice Finn handed down a number of landmark decisions.
Since retiring as a judge in 2012, former Justice Finn has worked in academic roles at ANU, the University of Melbourne and the University of Adelaide. In 2014, he was awarded a Doctor of Laws honoris causa by UQ. In 2016, Finn’s Law: An Australian Justice was published. The book celebrates former Justice Finn’s career with contributions and reflections from fellow academics and judges.