The QUT School of Law’s Judge in Residence Program is a unique initiative that brings distinguished members of the judiciary into the heart of our academic community. Designed to foster meaningful engagement between judges, students, and scholars, the program offers a rare opportunity to explore the role of the judiciary in shaping law and justice, both in theory and in practice.
The Judge in Residence contributes to the intellectual life of the School through guest lectures, public seminars, workshops, and informal engagement with students and staff. They may also participate in moot court adjudication, collaborate on research projects, or pursue their own scholarly interests. Residencies may be short-term (1–2 weeks) or extended (up to one year), depending on the availability and interests of the appointed judge.
The program reflects QUT Law’s commitment to connecting students and researchers with the profession’s most impactful voices, and to cultivating a legal education grounded in justice, leadership and real-world relevance.
Inaugural Judge in Residence: Chief Justice Brian Preston
In 2025, QUT Law had the privilege of welcoming The Hon. Justice Brian J Preston AO FRSN SC (pictured, at left), Chief Judge of the NSW Land and Environment Court, as our inaugural Judge in Residence.
Over the course of a week, Chief Justice Preston generously shared his time and insights with our community, engaging with students, collaborating with researchers, and delivering guest lectures. The highlight of his visit was a powerful public address titled “The Role of Solidarity in Addressing Climate Justice.” In this compelling lecture, Chief Justice Preston framed solidarity not as charity, but as a legal and moral imperative rooted in international law. He challenged us to confront the deep inequities of climate change and called for solidarity across generations, nations, and sectors. His reflections offered both clarity and urgency in the face of climate injustice.
You can download the PowerPoint slides from the Chief Justice Preston presentation here.
We were also honoured to have Fleur Kingham (pictured, at right), Chair of the Queensland Law Reform Commission, respond to the address. Her remarks on intergenerational solidarity, particularly in the context of youth-led climate litigation, were a poignant reminder that law can be both a gatekeeper and a gateway. She urged us to align law with science and act with the urgency this moment demands.
Chief Justice Preston’s visit coincided with landmark developments in climate and human rights law, including the ICJ’s advisory opinion and Australia’s Pabai Pabai decision. His presence at QUT Law could not have been more timely, and his contribution sets a powerful precedent for future residencies.
About Justice Preston
Justice Brian Preston is the Chief Judge of the Land and Environment Court of New South Wales. Prior to being appointed in November 2005, he was a senior counsel practising primarily in New South Wales in environmental, planning, administrative and property law. He has lectured in post-graduate environmental law for over 30 years. He is the author of Australia’s first book on environmental litigation and 164 articles, book chapters and reviews on environmental law, administrative and criminal law. He holds numerous editorial positions in environmental law publications and has been involved in a number of international environmental consultancies and capacity-building programs, including for judiciaries throughout Asia, Africa and the European Union.
Justice Preston is an Official Member of the Judicial Commission of NSW, Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law, Fellow of the Royal Society of NSW and Honorary Fellow of the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand. He was awarded a Doctor of Letters (honoris causa) by Macquarie University in 2018 and a Doctor of Laws (honoris causa) by Western Sydney University in 2022. He is a member of various international environmental law committees and advisory boards, including serving on the Governing Council and as Vice President for Oceania of the Global Judicial Institute on the Environment and as Chair of the Environmental Law Committee of the Law Association for Asia and the Pacific (LAWASIA).
Justice Preston was recognised with the Award for Excellence – Outstanding Contribution to Environmental Law by the Law Council of Australia’s Legal Practice Section in 2021. In 2023, he was awarded the Medal of Honour by the World Jurist Association at the United Nations in New York and was granted Life Membership by LAWASIA. He was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the Australia Day Honours List 2025.
Justice Preston is currently a Visiting Professor at Durham University (UK), an Adjunct Professor at three Australian universities, the University of Sydney, Western Sydney University and Southern Cross University, and a former Visiting Fellow at Corpus Christi College and Magdalen College at Oxford University (UK).