Honorary Fellows

The Honourable John Harber Phillips, AC, FANZCN (Hon), QC.
Former Chief Justice of Victoria and the first Patron of the College

Professor the Honourable John Harber Phillips, AC, FANZCN (Hon), QC (1933 – 2009) was the College’s distinguished inaugural Patron and the first recipient of an Honorary Fellowship.

Before his appointment as the Chief Justice of Victoria, a position he held with great dignity and savoir faire until reaching compulsory retirement age in October 2003, John Phillips had been a successful barrister, the Head of the National Crime Authority and Victoria’s first Director of Public Prosecutions.

On his retirement from the Bench, Professor Phillips took up the position of Provost of the Sir Zelman Cowen Centre at Victoria University, Melbourne which he held until his untimely passing in 2009.

A genuine renaissance man, the breadth of John Phillips’ interests may be seen from his Citation on being made a Companion of the Order of Australia. It reads, ”For service to the Law, the administration of Justice, law reform and education as Chief Justice of Victoria and for his contribution to Literature, the visual arts and the Community.”

The College deeply regrets the passing of a staunch friend and supporter.

The Honourable Robert McClelland, FANZCN (Hon), MP.
The Attorney General of Australia

The Honourable Robert McClelland is the Commonwealth Attorney-General and the Member for Barton in Australian Parliment. He is the Vice President of the Executive Council.

Respected on both sides of politics for his dedication and integrity, the Attorney holds a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of NSW and a Master of Law from the University of Sydney.

He was first elected as the Federal Member for Barton in March 1996. In October 1998, he was appointed Shadow Attorney-General and later served in a range of shadow portfolios including Workplace Relations, Justice, Homeland Security, Defence and Foreign Affairs. Following the election of the Labor Government in November 2007, Robert McClelland was appointed Australia’s 33rd Attorney-General. He has continued in that position since the re-election of the

The Honourable Robert Shenton French, AC, FANZCN (Hon).
Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia

The Honourable Robert Shenton French, AC, FANZCN (Hon) was appointed Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia in September 2008. At the time of his appointment his Honour was a judge of the Federal Court of Australia, having been appointed to that office in November 1986.

His Honour graduated from the University of Western Australia in science and law. He was admitted in 1972 and practised as a barrister and solicitor in Western Australia until 1983 when he went to the Western Australian Bar. From 1994 to 1998, he was President of the National Native Title Tribunal.

At the time of his appointment, his Honour was an additional member of the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory and a member of the Supreme Court of Fiji. He was also a Deputy President of the Australian Competition Tribunal and a part-time member of the Australian Law Reform Commission. From 2001 to January 2005 he was president of the Australian Association of Constitutional Law.

The Chief Justice was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia in 2010.

Dr Christophe Bernasconi, FANZCN (Hon).
First Secretary of the Hague Conference on Private International Law

Dr Christophe Bernasconi is held in the highest regard around the world as a leading expert in the critically important field of Private International Law.

He is the First Secretary of the Permanent Bureau of the Hague Conference on Private International Law where he has primary responsibility for the Hague Securities Convention and the Hague Judicial and Administrative Cooperation Conventions which include among their number, the Apostille Convention.

Dr Bernasconi has been instrumental in the development and promotion of the electronic Apostille and the e-register-technologies which are now being implemented in many of the states party to the Hague Apostille Convention, including New Zealand.

The College is particularly appreciative of Dr Bernasconi’s support. His contribution to the success of the 2009 Melbourne Conference was outstanding.

The Honourable Tim Fischer, AC, FANZCN (Hon).
Ambassador to the Holy See

Tim Fischer, Companion of the Order of Australia (AC), is Australia’s first resident Ambassador to the Holy See. Mr Fischer has had a distinguished career in Australian State and Federal Parliaments, including as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade under the former Howard Government.

Mr Fischer was NSW Member for Sturt from 1971 to 1980 before being elected as the Member for NSW State seat of Murray from 1980 to 1984. In 1984, Mr Fischer was elected to the Federal seat of Farrer; a seat he held until his retirement from Federal Parliament in 2001.

As a member of the Federal Parliament, Mr Fischer was Minister for Trade and Deputy Prime Minister between 1996 to1999.

Mr Fischer held a number of shadow portfolios in opposition including Energy and Resources and Trade.

He was born in 1946 in Lockhart, NSW and educated at Xavier College Melbourne. He is married with two children.

The Honourable Justice Dean Mildren, RFD, FANZCN (Hon)
Justice of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory

Dean Mildren was appointed as a Justice of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory in 1991.

At the time of his appointment he was a Member of the Northern Territory Bar Association having been a barrister since 1980.

Justice Mildren was appointed as a Queen’s Counsel in 1983 and was President of the Northern Territory Bar Association from 1987 -1991 having been Vice-President from 1989 – 1990.

Justice Mildren was President of the Northern Territory Law Society from 1979 – 1981 and from 1973 – 1975. He was also Deputy Chairman of the Northern Territory Legal Practitioners Complaints Committee from 1983 – 1988, Chairman of the Northern Territory Planning Appeals Committee from 1979 – 1985, Chairman of the Northern Territory Council of Law Reporting from 1993 – 1995 and President of the Northern Territory Law Reform Committee from 1991 – 1997.

Justice Mildren was a Colonel in the Australian Army Legal Corps (ARES) from 1992 – 1996, after being a Lieutenant Colonel from 1980 – 1992. He was a Judge Advocate from 1986 – 1996 and was a Defence Force Magistrate from 1986 – 1991. Justice Mildren was also the Chief legal Officer of the 7th Military District (ARES) from 1975 – 1986.

Justice Mildren lectures part-time at the Northern Territory University having been appointed as an Adjunct Professor of the University in 1997.

Mr. Michael Lightowler FANZCN (Hon)
Past President of the English Society of Notaries

Whilst recently attending the ANZCN conference in Queenstown, past president of the Society of Notaries of England and Wales Michael Lightowler was appointed an Honorary Fellow of The Australian & New Zealand College of Notaries.

Michael was congratulated on his contribution to upholding the excellent relationship which exists between the Society and the College. Michael has presented at several College conferences and served as an expert panellist. Michael expressed his sincere thanks for the honour and looked forward to a further deepening of relations with the College in the coming years.

Mr. Nigel Ready FANZCN (Hon)
Past President of the English Society of Notaries

Nigel Ready the current editor of Brooke’s Notary and a past president of the English Society of Scrivener Notaries was also appointed an Honorary Fellow at the conference dinner. Nigel’s contribution to the common law notariat is well known through his editorship of Brooke’s Notary. He has twice presented at College functions in New Zealand and has provided wise counsel on notarial matters to the College Board of Governors.

Mr. William Fritzlen FANZCN (Hon)
Awarded 19 October, 2018

Mr. William Fritzlen was awarded his Honorary Fellowship for his outstanding contribution to the work of The Hague Conference and the Apostille Convention.

His contribution was varied but in particular it focussed on the special commissions regularly held to update and modify the workings of the Convention.

Mr Fritzlen has had an illustrious career as a Supervisory Attorney Adviser to the U.S. Department of State.