Robin Lorimer Sharwood was born on 22 June 1931. He was educated at Mont Albert Central School, Wesley College and the University of Melbourne. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (1953) and Bachelor of Laws (Hons)(1954), winning the Supreme Court Prize.

After completing his LLB, Robin served articles of clerkship with the Melbourne Law firm of Norris, Coates and Hearle, and was admitted to practise in 1955. Also in that year, Robin was appointed the Walter Perry Johnson Graduate Research Fellow, University of California, Berkeley, to undertake an LLM, and obtained that degree in 1956. With the support of a Peter Brookes Saltonstall Scholarship and a Fulbright Scholarship, he completed an SJD (Harvard) in 1962.

In 1958, he returned to Melbourne to take up a position as a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Law where he remained for four years. He was also a Senior Tutor at Ormond College from 1960-62.

In 1962, at the young age of 30, Robin was appointed to a Chair in Law at the Australian National University. In 1965 he was appointed Warden of Trinity College in Melbourne, a position he held until 1973.

From 1974 to 1981 Robin was Inaugural Executive Director of the Victorian Law Foundation, which was established to fund legal research and law reform. This was an important time for law reform. During his time as Executive Director of the Law Foundation, he occupied important positions relating to the legal profession and legal education. These positions included Chairman of the Victorian Committee on Discrimination in Employment and Occupation (1976 - 1977) and Member of the (Victorian) Attorney-General's Advisory Committee on the Criminal Justice System (1979-1982).

In 1980, Robin returned to the Law School to teach the historical component of the Legal Process subject. His strong interest in history led to research into international institutions, particularly the League of Nations. Many students have indicated that Robin's lectures have been a personal highlight for them. He has been a Professorial Associate and Fellow since 1989. His service to the University has included periods as a member of Council and as President of the Graduates.

For many years Robin held the position of Chancellor of the Anglican Church to the Dioceses of Wangaratta (1974-99) and Ballarat (1995 - 2002). This position carries the responsibility of advising on matters of Ecclesiastical Law, a speciality in which Robin has practised, pro-bono, for more than three decades.

Some of the many other positions Robin has held include Member of the Executive of the Arts Council of Australia (Vic.) 1970 to 1974 and Member of the (Victorian) State Advisory Committee, Australian Broadcasting Commission, 1976-1979 ( Chairman, 1978-1979).

On Australia Day 2000, Robin was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for service to legal education and for service to the Anglican Church of Australia, especially in relation to canon law.

Few people have made such a significant contribution over such an extensive period of time to the Faculty of Law, to the University of Melbourne and to the broader community as Professor Sharwood.