Many RDG members will have heard the sad news of the passing of Paul Finn, after two brilliant careers as an academic and a judge. The tribute from ANU is here:

Remembering the Hon Paul Finn: A judge, scholar and friend to many at ANU College of Law | ANU College of Law

 

Paul Finn studied at the University of Queensland (BA, LLB) and did his doctorate at Cambridge under the supervision of Len Sealy. His prize-winning thesis was the foundation of his justly famous book, Fiduciary Obligations (1977). After teaching for many years at ANU, and publishing extensively in legal history and public law as well as in private law, he was appointed to the Federal Court of Australia in 1995.

 

A longer tribute provides more detail and suggests, somewhat to my surprise, that Finn’s argument that fiduciary standards rightly apply to the exercise of public power “emphasised his place as an outsider.” To my mind, this was one of Finn’s most brilliant contributions and one which is certain to endure.

 

Lionel Smith

 

 

 

 

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