Ian David Francis Callinan, born on 1 September 1937 in Casino New South Wales, was raised in Brisbane, Queensland. He was educated at Coorparoo State School and Brisbane Grammar School. Callinans’ father was a totally and permanently incapacitated pensioner, requiring Callinan to undertake his university education on a part-time basis. He received a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Queensland in 1960 and in the same year was admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland and a barrister in 1965. He became Queen’s Counsel in 1978. From 1998 to 2007 Callinan was a Justice of the High Court. For his service to the judiciary, law, the arts and the community, he was awarded the Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in 2003. In 2010 he was awarded a Doctorate of Laws by University of Queensland in recognition of his service to the law and the arts. Apart from his judicial writings, he has written many short stores, novels, and plays. Several of his plays have been produced. His works are often set in Australia’s legal, political and financial circles.