Dr James Popple is Official Secretary to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. He is also a member of the Anti-Dumping Review Panel, and a member of the ACT Remuneration Tribunal.

James was the inaugural Freedom of Information Commissioner (for four years), and a Senior Member of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (for three years). Before that, James worked for 12 years in the Australian Attorney-General's Department. Before joining AGD, he was a judge's associate, then Deputy Registrar of the High Court of Australia.

James has degrees in law and arts, and is admitted as a barrister and a solicitor. He is also an Honorary Professor of the Australian National University (in the College of Law and the College of Engineering and Computer Science) where he conducted his doctoral research in artificial intelligence and law.