Justice Rothman is a part-time Commissioner of the ALRC and was appointed on 3 November 2022, with the term expiring on 3 May 2023.
Justice Rothman was appointed to the Supreme Court of New South Wales on 3 May 2005.
Justice Rothman commenced practice at the Bar in 1982 and was appointed Senior Counsel in 1995. His Honour’s practice at the Bar was predominately in administrative law, criminal law, constitutional law and labour law. In labour law matters at the bar, his Honour appeared for unions, individual employees, and employers.
His Honour had, for approximately 6 years, chaired the Ngara Yura Committee of the NSW Judicial Commission, which liaises with and consults with the Aboriginal community and seeks to educate judicial officers about issues particularly affecting those communities.
Justice Rothman was, immediately prior to his appointment to the Court, involved in two ground-breaking cases on racial vilification and freedom of speech (Toben and Scully) in which orders were eventually obtained shutting down an internet website that was held to be racist.
His professional career also included leading cases in Constitutional and administrative law, anti-discrimination, racial vilification, harassment, occupational health and safety and other industrial issues. As counsel, his Honour was selected by the U.N and I.L.O. to advise the Soviet Union on human rights, which he did during 1987 and 1988, at which time he met with and advised Mikhael Gorbachev.
Justice Rothman was, until recently (from 2014 to 2020), the President of The Great Synagogue, Sydney and was, from August 2000 until August 2004, the President of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies.
He also served on the Board and Executive of Moriah College, and was elected its President, a position he held from 1996 to 1998, having previously served as its Secretary and Vice-President. His Honour is currently a Life Patron of the College.
In 1994, he was appointed by Australian Jewish schools as the Chair of what is now called the Australian Council of Jewish Schools and Chair of its NSW Committee, both of which positions he continues to hold, now with other persons as Co-Chairs. He is also a Director of the NSW Association of Independent Schools (AIS) and has held that position since 2000.