Jim Kennan SC

Adjunct Professor

LLM Melbourne

About Jim Kennan

Jim Kennan is a senior counsel practising at the Bar in Melbourne, Australia. He holds a Master of Laws degree from Melbourne University, and has completed the Advanced Executive Program and the Mergers and Acquisitions Program at the Management School at UCLA.

He practises in a wide range of legal areas including criminal law, occupational health and safety law, torts, employment law, planning and environment law and administrative law.

Political Career

Jim Kennan was a member of the Victorian Parliament between 1982 and 1993. He was a senior Minister in the Victorian Government from 1983 until 1992, and was Deputy Premier from 1990-92. He held a range of Ministerial positions including the posts of Attorney General, Minister of Corrections, Minister for Planning and Environment, Minister for Transport, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Minister for Major Projects. He was the Leader of the Opposition when he retired from Parliament in 1993.

International consultancy work

He worked as a consultant and in business between 1994 and 1999, in Australia, Asia and the United States.

His interest in international relations saw him become a member of the Australia India Council, a bilateral foreign relations council, funded by the Australian Government between 1995 and 2002 and he was Chairman from 1995 to 1998.

He was the co-ordinator of the Inaugural Round Table on the future of the Asia Pacific Region, held at Georgetown University, Washington D.C. in November 2000.

In July 2001, he completed the summer course on international humanitarian law at the Institute of International Humanitarian Law at San Remo, Italy.