The Honourable Robert French AC has been Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia since 2008, before which he was a judge of the Federal Court of Australia, having been appointed to that office in November 1986. He graduated from the University of Western Australia in science and law. From 1994 to 1998 he was President of the National Native Title Tribunal. At that time he was also a Deputy President of the Australian Competition Tribunal, and a part-time member of the Australian Law Reform Commission. Chief Justice French was appointed a Companion of the General Division of the Order of Australia in 2010.