The Hon Houda YOUNAN
Judge, Federal Court of Australia: 19.12.2024
Location: Sydney
Justice Houda Younan was appointed to the Federal Court of Australia on 19 December 2024.
Justice Younan graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Arts (Government) (Hons I) in 1996 and a Bachelor of Laws (Hons I) in 1998. In the same year, her Honour was the National Champion and Best Oralist in the Final of the Philip C Jessup International Moot Court Competition, and the Best Oralist in the international rounds in Washington DC.
In 2001, her Honour was awarded a Master of Laws (Hons I) from the University of Cambridge, and the Clive Parry Prize for International law.
From 2001 to 2005, her Honour was a legal officer and then senior legal officer in the Office of International Law, Attorney-General’s Department, where she participated in disputes before the World Trade Organisation, and was awarded for her service advising in relation to the law of armed conflict.
In 2006, her Honour was admitted to the New York State Bar. In 2007, her Honour was admitted to the New South Wales Bar. Her Honour also lectured in international law at the University of Sydney until 2008, at which time she was a co-author of the Australian Yearbook of International Law.
In 2020, her Honour was appointed Senior Counsel. Her Honour practised at the Bar in administrative law, constitutional law, international law, extradition, revenue and customs, and sports law arbitration.
Associateship applications
Justice Younan appoints two Associates, generally for a period of 12 months each.
The next vacant positions will commence in 2028. Interested persons are invited to forward their application to nswreg@fedcourt.gov.au, marked to the attention of the Chambers of Justice Younan.
Applications should include a cover letter of no more than one page, a brief curriculum vitae, university transcript, and the details of at least two referees. A minimum of one year of post-admission experience is required.
Applications should be submitted no later than 18 December 2026, and successful applicants will be invited for interviews in early 2027.
General information about associate positions can be found on the Employment pages of the website.
February 2026
NOTE: Australian citizenship is a condition of engagement and may only be waived in exceptional circumstances. A character clearance is generally subject to a nil response being returned to a police record check.
