In a historic appointment, the Honourable Justice Jayne Jagot will serve on the High Court of Australia, creating a female-majority for the first time in Australia.

Justice Jagot graduated from Macquarie University with a Bachelor of Arts with first class honours in 1987, before completing her Bachelor of Laws (Hons I) at the University of Sydney in 1990. She was admitted as a solicitor in 1991 and called to the NSW Bar in 2002.

Justice Jagot has served as a Judge of the Federal Court of Australia since 2008, with previous roles including partner at Mallesons Stephen Jaques (now King & Wood Mallesons), a barrister, judge of the NSW Land and Environment Court, Deputy President of the Copyright Tribunal and Additional Judge of the ACT Supreme Court.

For more than 80 years after its establishment in 1903, the High Court of Australia was comprised of only male Justices until 1987 when Mary Gaudron became the first woman to serve on the Court.

In another link with the University, former Chancellor of Macquarie from 1984-1993, the Hon Michael Kirby AC CMG, served 13 years on the High Court of Australia from 1996 and was twice acting Chief Justice of Australia.

Once sworn in, Justice Jagot will be the 56^th Justice of the High Court and the seventh woman appointed. Justice Jagot will be the fourth female Justice currently serving the High Court, out of a total of seven Justices. She will commence her appointment on 17 October 2022 upon the retirement of the Honourable Justice Patrick Keane AC.

Justice Jagot will join the Chief Justice and fellow Justices in hearing some of the most complex and serious legal cases and appeals in the country.

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References:

• pm.gov.au
• lawcouncil.asn.au
•  abc.net.au
• theguardian.com
•  theconversation.com