Paul Munro was born in Condobolin, New South Wales on 13 July 1939. He graduated from Sydney University Law School and was admitted to the NSW Bar in 1961. From July 1961 he worked as a Legal Officer at the Public Solicitor’s Office in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. From 1966 to 1968 Munro was an Industrial Advocate for the PNG Public Service Association, which led to his work in industrial relations. Munro was National Secretary, Council of Australian Government Employee Associations 1969-1977; he worked with Dr H C Coombs on the Royal Commission on Australian Government Administration 1974-1976; and was Federal Secretary of the Administrative & Clerical Officers' Association (ACOA) 1979-1986. His service as a union official included five years as a member of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) Executive and he was later a part-time member of the Administrative Review Council. Munro served from 1986 to 2004 as Justice Munro, a Senior Presidential Member of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) and its predecessors. He has been on the Australian Institute of Employment Rights Executive Committee since its establishment in 2005.