The Hon Justice Susan Kiefel was born in Cairns, Queensland in 1954, educated in Queensland and at the University of Cambridge where she received a Masters of Law.  Justice Kiefel was admitted to the Queensland Bar in 1975 and was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1987.  She was appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court of Queensland in 1993 and in 1994 was appointed to the Federal Court.  She also held a commission as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Norfolk Island from 2004.  She served as a part-time Commissioner of the Australian Law Reform Commission.  She was appointed a Justice of the High Court on 3 September 2007.

Justice Kiefel is married to Michael Albrecht, MA (Cantab).