On Monday 25 May 2026 a book launch for Law Justice and Other Challenges: Selected Speeches and Papers of Michael Kirby was held at The Sydney Institute. The book is based on approximately 3000 speeches. Those speeches were delivered at numerous events held in Australia and overseas. the speeches have been assembled by the editor Dr Paul Vout KC. He was associate (law clerk) to Michael Kirby in the NSW Court of Appeal in 1990. He has assembled the speeches in chronological order using the professional and personal life of Michael Kirby and covering the wide range of legal, international and other issues that he addressed during his time serving in Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Commission; the Australian Law Reform Commission; the Federal Court of Australia; the Court of Appeal of NSW; the Court of Appeal of Solomon Islands; and the High Court of Australia (the last between 1996-2009).
In his speech at The Sydney Institute, Michael Kirby explains the influence on him and other law students in the 1950s and 60s including the influence of Professor Julius Stone and Professor Tony Blackshield. He explains that judges have a “leeway for choice” in resolving matters, if possible, in accordance with the view of just outcomes. The launch speech included questions and answers and a description of the contents of the book and how it could be purchased
