In April 2023, Debbie Mortimer was appointed as the Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Australia. Chief Justice Mortimer is the fifth Chief Justice and the first female Chief Justice of the Federal Court. She was previously a judge of the Federal Court since 2013. During this time she was a National Co-ordinating Judge in the Court’s Native Title National Practice Area.  Until 2021 she was also a National Co-ordinating Judge in the Administrative and Constitutional Law and Human Rights Practice Area, and a Migration Liaison Judge.

Prior to her appointments, Chief Justice Mortimer was a member of the Victorian Bar and was appointed Senior Counsel in 2003. Her practice included public law, anti-discrimination law, extradition and environmental law, and in all areas she acted for both applicants and respondents, for and against government, in state and federal jurisdictions including in the High Court. She had a substantial public interest practice and was involved in many ground-breaking cases over her 24 years at the Bar.

Chief Justice Mortimer remains a Senior Fellow at Melbourne Law School, a member of the Advisory Board of the Centre for Comparative Constitutional Studies at Melbourne Law School, and a member of Board of Advisers for the Public Law Review.