The late Hon Barry O'Keefe AM QC, a highly accomplished barrister, arbitrator and judge was the inaugural chair of the Truth Justice and Healing Council.

Barry was educated by the Christian Brothers of Ireland at Waverley College in Sydney.

He graduated from the University of Sydney with Honours in Law and was admitted to the Sydney Bar in 1957. He became a Queen’s Counsel in 1974 and was sworn in as a judge in 1993.

He was regarded as a formidable cross-examiner while at the Bar and was noted for his ability to assemble and deal with the facts in long and complicated cases.

Barry was a former Commissioner of the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption, a former Chief Judge of the Commercial Division of the Supreme Court of NSW, chairman of Interpol's International Group of Experts on Corruption, chairman of the International Anticorruption Conference and a former Mayor of Mosman.

During Barry’s term as Commissioner, the Independent Commission Against Corruption won international recognition for its work, particularly in corruption prevention and education.

Barry retired from the Supreme Court in 2004 and became a consultant at one of Australia's major law firms, Clayton Utz, where he advised and represented clients on construction industry disputes both nationally and internationally, particularly in national and international arbitration matters and in relation to matters of probity.

Barry died peacefully on 24 April, 2014 at St Vincent's Hospital in Darlinghurst, Sydney. He was 80 years old.

His wife of 52 years, Janette and his family were at his bedside.