Australian judge William Gummow dies aged 83 after decade on Hong Kong’s top court
Non-Permanent Judge of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal (CFA) William Gummow has died aged 83. The Australian judge had served on the city’s apex court since 2013. Born in 1942, Gummow practised for ten years as a solicitor before being called to the New South Wales Bar in 1976. In 1986, he was […]
Australian judge William Gummow, who served on Hong Kong’s top court for a decade, has passed away at the age of 83. Gummow's tenure on the city’s apex court began in 2013. Born in 1942, Gummow initially practiced as a solicitor for a decade before being called to the bar in New South Wales in 1976. He later joined the Federal Court of Australia in 1986.
Gummow also served on the High Court of Australia from 1995 to 2012, receiving the Companion of the Order of Australia in 1997. He was last on Hong Kong’s top court in May. The Court of Final Appeal (CFA) has periodically invited foreign judges from common law jurisdictions to serve, a practice seen as a vote of confidence in Hong Kong’s judicial system.
However, recent judicial departures have sparked debates regarding the relevance of overseas judges. In April, Australian judge Robert French resigned, arguing that the role of overseas non-permanent judges on the CFA had become "increasingly anachronistic and arguably cosmetic." Other departures included UK judges Jonathan Sumption and Lawrence Collins in June 2024, UK judge Anthony Murray Gleeson in February 2024, and Canadian judge Beverley McLachlin in February 2024.
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