Mark Cleary

Professional career

• Substantive judge of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2), appointed on 1 April 2025, with a tenure set to run until 2041

Education

Additional information

• His appointment was formally recorded in the Australian Government’s judicial directory, with an end date of 2041.
• Sworn in on 1 April 2025 alongside three other colleagues, marking the start of his judicial career in the FCFCOA (Division 2).
• Notably, he was involved in urgent injunctions in complex cases, such as the 2021 Suez Canal blockage dispute
• Before becoming a judge, Mark Cleary had over 24 years as a barrister in equity, commercial, employment, human rights, constitutional, and administrative law.
• He developed extensive experience in commercial litigation, administrative law, immigration cases, fair work matters, and was frequently briefed by the Commonwealth government.
• The ceremonial sitting to welcome him was presided over by Chief Justice Alstergren, with fellow judges including his former reader, Judge Natasha Laing, and other senior legal figures
• Judge Cleary’s appointment reflects both the breadth and depth of his legal experience and his personal qualities, including an unflappable temperament and a strong sense of fair play