Marcus Einfeld

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Marcus Richard Einfeld AO QC (b. ) is a respected Australian lawyer, judge and social activist who served as Justice of the Federal Court of Australia and the Supreme Courts of New South Wales, Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory as well as the President of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission between 1986 and 1990. He is a Companion of the Order Of Australia, the highest civil award in Australia. He has recently become the victim of a mud-slinging campaign in the Australian media.

History

Early life

The son of a prominent Sydney Labor Party member,he studied at Sydney Boys High School an elite academically selective school. He went on to earn a BA and LLB at the University of Sydney.

Legal Career

Former Justice, Federal Court of Australia, Justice of the Supreme Courts of New South Wales, Western Australia, the Australian Capital Territory and the Eastern Caribbean.

Marcus Einfeld was a Justice of the Federal Court of Australia until April 2001 when he retired after almost 15 years service. He has been named by the National Trust of Australia as a National Living Treasure

Community and social involvement

Einfeld has serrved as AUSTCARE's "Ambassador for Refugees" and as an "Ambassador for Children" for UNICEF. In 2002 Einfeld was given the United Nations Peace Award for his contribution to justice and human rights.

Einfeld has been an executive member of the New South Wales Board of Deputies for many years. He is Patron of the Australian Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors and Descendants and of the Sydney Jewish Museum.

Controversies

Prof Carter alleged that Einfeld reproduced Carter's work in Halsbury's Laws of Australia without attribution. This was denied by Einfeld who pointed out that the lack of attribution was due to a printing error.[1]

It is alleged that when he appeared at Downing Centre Local Court to contest a $77 speeding fine ( generated by a speed camera in Mosman on January 8), he claimed that a Professor Teresa Brennan, had been driving the car when she allegedly did not do so. [2]

Some of his postgraduate qualifications have been considered to be from non-traditional degree awarding sources.

Einfeld is a non-executive director of Australian gold mining company Diamond Rose. At the 2005 Diamond Rose Annual General meeting, it was proposed that a payment of $AUD350,000 be made to two non-executive directors including Einfeld. A clear majority of shareholders, unimpressed by poor performance, voted against the motion.

Alleged padding of Einfeld's curriculum vitae

It is alleged that he falsely claimed that he was a director of British retailer Marks and Spencers in 1975.

Alleged Insurance problems

Einfeld is alleged to have received compensation from the Commission for a lost overcoat but also to have claimed for the same items from his insurance company. [3]

Criticism

Einfeld's confusing story regarding his car, his financial problems and his boasting of academic qualfications he has not earnt has caused many to accuse him of hypocrisy, pomposity, and a vain fantastist. His long-standing record of invoking the Holocaust to attack Right wing Australians and to engage in what has been called "portentous moralising" has left him especially vunerable to attacks on his moral integrity [4].

References

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