Stephen Gageler

In 2017 Gageler was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia for eminent service to the law and to the judiciary through contributions in the areas of constitutional, public, international, common and criminal law, to legal reform, education and academic discourse, and to professional organisations.

Gageler defended the Commonwealth unsuccessfully in the Malaysian solution challenge and successfully in the tobacco plain packaging cases in 2012.

Gageler's appointment as a Justice of the High Court of Australia was announced on 21 August 2012 by the Attorney-General of Australia, Nicola Roxon, for whom Gageler had worked as Solicitor-General of Australia since 2008. Roxon announced that Gageler would replace Justice William Gummow on his retirement in October 2012.

Gageler was appointed as the Solicitor-General of Australia on 1 September 2008, based in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. This position is the second law officer of the Commonwealth, advising the Government and appearing as counsel in significant cases.

Gageler's likeness appears in a painting from 2003 that was commissioned to mark the Court's centenary. The painting depicts the High Court sitting on Tuesday 29 April 2003 to hear the case Purvis v State of New South Wales [2003] HCA 62. The artist, Robert Hannaford, painted the Full Bench (seven member) hearing. Gageler was arguing the case for the appellant and is shown standing at the lectern addressing the court.

Upon return from Harvard Law School, Gageler was called to the bar in Sydney where, for 20 years, he worked as a barrister specialising in constitutional, administrative, revenue and commercial law. He was made a Senior Counsel in 2000. Gageler represented, among others, Betfair, the Humane Society, the ACT Government, and John Howard (the Prime Minister of Australia). Gageler was assistant counsel for the Commercial Radio Enquiry in 1999.

Gageler is the second solicitor-general to be appointed to the High Court, after Anthony Mason's appointment as Chief Justice in 1987, and the first to be appointed directly to the court with no prior judicial experience – Mason had previously served on the Supreme Court of New South Wales.

Gageler's primary school education was at a one-teacher school, Giant's Creek Primary School, about 3 km from Sandy Hollow. His secondary education was at Muswellbrook High School. He graduated from the Australian National University with a Bachelor of Economics in 1980 and a Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honours in 1982. He resided at Bruce Hall, the university's oldest residential college, in his third year, and at Ursula Hall for his first two. He became an associate for High Court Justice Sir Anthony Mason. He then studied at Harvard Law School, graduating with a Master of Laws in 1987.

Stephen John Gageler AC (/ɡ eɪ ɡ l ər / ; born 5 July 1958) is a Justice of the High Court of Australia. He was previously a barrister based in Sydney, New South Wales and the Solicitor-General of Australia, the Commonwealth's second-ranking law officer.