Dr James Popple — Principal Reviewer — Canberra James has had 23 years’ experience in government and administrative law, including extensive experience reviewing and investigating a wide range of complex and difficult legal issues. For three years, James was a Senior Member of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal where he conducted independent merits reviews of administrative decisions made by Ministers, departments and agencies under Commonwealth laws. Prior to his work with the AAT, James was the inaugural Australian Freedom of Information Commissioner (SES Band 3) from 2010 until 2014. In that role he conducted merits reviews of a significant number of FOI decisions, provided advice to government and agency leaders and investigated complaints about FOI processing. James worked for 12 years in the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department - including six years as a Division Head (SES Band 2). At AGD, he worked in a variety of areas including privacy law; tribunal reform; administrative law; legal aid; Indigenous justice; personal property securities law; Commonwealth legal services; bankruptcy and personal insolvency; copyright; classification; international legal services; and support for the Attorney-General in the performance of his First Law Officer role. Prior to his work with the AGD, James was Deputy Registrar of the High Court of Australia and before that served as a judge's associate. James has a PhD in artificial intelligence and law and is an Honorary Professor of the Australian National University (in the College of Law and the College of Engineering and Computer Science). He also has degrees in law and arts, and is admitted as a legal practitioner in the High Court of Australia and the Supreme Courts of the ACT, NSW and Victoria. .