The Honourable Justice James Edelman, a justice of the High Court of Australia, is a respected judge, esteemed scholar and teacher, and well-regarded author.

He is noted for his achievements at a young age: a Professor of the Law of Obligations at Oxford at the age of 34, appointment to the Supreme Court at the age of 37 – the second youngest ever judge of that Court, and appointment to the High Court at the age of 42.

When he studied commerce at Murdoch University, he was also studying law and economics at the University of Western Australia, where he was awarded the UWA medal for law in 1997. In 1998, he won the Rhodes Scholarship to study at Magdalen College, Oxford University.  His thesis won the Society of Legal Scholars prize in 2003 for most outstanding new legal work of the year. He completed a Doctor of Philosophy in Law at Oxford University in 2001 and was also conferred a Master of Arts degree from Oxford in 2005.

Justice Edelman was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of WA in 1998 after serving as an associate to Justice John Toohey in the High Court of Australia in 1997 and completing an articled clerkship at Blake Dawson Waldron. He commenced his legal practice in 2001 in the chambers of Malcolm McCusker QC and was then working at One Essex Court at the English Bar from 2008.

Justice Edelman was appointed to the Supreme Court of WA in 2011.  He then joined the Federal Court of Australia in 2015 prior to his appointment as Justice of High Court of Australia in 2017. 

In addition to his judiciary duties, Justice Edelman is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Queensland and the University of Western Australia, as well as a Conjoint Professor of Law at the University of New South Wales. 

On the High Court, Justice Edelman continues to shape Australian jurisprudence with a keen intellect and a commitment to legal integrity. His contributions extend beyond the bench through numerous publications and lectures, influencing contemporary legal thought and practice. Justice Edelman is recognized not only for his legal acumen but also for his dedication to the development of the law and its role in society.