The Honourable Ronald Sackville AO KC

Ronald Sackville

Ronald Sackville was a Judge of the Federal Court of Australia from 1994 to 2008. From 2008 to 2019 he was an acting Judge of Appeal of the Supreme Court of New South Wales.

Prior to his appointment to the Federal Court Mr Sackville practised as a barrister in New South Wales from 1985 to 1994. He was appointed a Queen's Counsel in 1991.

Mr Sackville also chaired the Victorian Accident Compensation Commission (1985-1989) and was a member of the Commonwealth Schools Commission (1984-1985).

Mr Sackville was a Professor of Law at the University of New South Wales (1972-1985) and Dean of the Faculty of Law (1979-1981).

Mr Sackville has conducted or been responsible for a number of official inquiries. He was:

  • Commissioner for Law and Poverty, Australian Government Commission of Inquiry into Poverty (1973-1975)
  • Chair, South Australian Royal Commission into the Non-Medical Use of Drugs (1977-1979)
  • Chair, New South Wales Law Reform Commission (1981-1984)
  • Assistant Commissioner, Independent Commission Against Corruption (1992)
  • Chair, Commonwealth Access to Justice Advisory Committee (1994)

Mr Sackville is a graduate of the University of Melbourne and Yale University. He was awarded an LLD (Honoris Causa) by the University of New South Wales in 2002. He was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2009 for service to the administration of the Australian judicial system, reform of federal and state law and to legal education.

Mr Sackville has written on a wide range of topics including law reform and access to justice.