Trailblazer for women in the law farewelled after 47 year career

A long-serving trial judge, described as a trailblazer and strong role-model for women in the law, has been farewelled by colleagues and leading members of the profession at a valedictory ceremony today in Brisbane.

A long-serving trial judge, described as a trailblazer and strong role-model for women in the law, has been farewelled by colleagues and leading members of the profession at a valedictory ceremony today in Brisbane.

Judge Julie Dick SC of the District Court of Queensland, a judge for 22 years, is retiring after a distinguished career as leading criminal barrister, appearing in more than 40 murder trials, and at the bench.

Director of Public Prosecutions Carl Heaton QC, appearing for the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice told the ceremony on Friday morning that Judge Dick was a mother-of-five who was known for her intellect, her command of the law and her formidable court presence, before she was appointed a judge in 2000.

A valedictory ceremony was held to mark the retirement of District Court Judge Julie Dick, Banco Court, Supreme Court. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Mr Heaton said that Judge Dick’s prodigious work ethic was reflected in the story of her taking a phone call from the Legal Aid office just an hour after she give birth to her youngest daughter Kathleen, where she accepted a brief to appear in a trial three weeks later.

Kathleen’s birth came in 1992, just three days after Judge Dick had completed a five-week robbery trial.

Mr Heaton said that Judge Dick defended many clients in criminal cases and later diversified into regular appearances in the Medical Assessments Tribunal, the Industrial Relations Court and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and disciplinary tribunals.

She was appointed senior counsel in 1997, and a year later became the inaugural parliamentary justice commissioner, then becoming a District Court judge in 2000.

She also worked as a judge of the Childrens Court of Queensland, and became the President of that court for three years until 2010.

Mr Heaton described Judge Dick as a “trailblazer for women in the law” who has also helped improve the profession and the justice system by giving her time to working groups and committees throughout her career.

He said she had been a supporter of women in the law by offering flexible work arrangements for staff with young children.

“This is a woman and a lawyer confident and happy in her own skin, successful in her own terms, and one who has been a great supporter of women,” an unnamed former colleague said.

Judge Dick was described in The Courier-Mail in July 2006 as a straight-talker and a seasoned performer as a judge.

“She is known for cutting through waffle in sentencing hearings — focusing on the real issues to make the process streamlined for everyone involved,” the story said.

Julie Dick in 1997. Photo: David Kelly

Jeff Hunter QC for the state’s Bar Association, said that a hallmark of Judge Dick’s career was her “unstinting support” for legally aided clients.

“You fearlessly advocated for those who would otherwise never have had the opportunity for representation of a standard as high as that which you provided,” Mr Hunter said.

Mr Hunter said she came to the bar in 1975 at the age of 23, having been educated at St Rita’s College in Clayfield then at the University of Queensland.

Mr Hunter said that 23-year-old barristers were rare in the 1970s, and even to this day most members of the profession don’t become barristers until later in their careers.

At the bar she was most often briefed in criminal law, with Mr Hunter saying that anecdotal reports suggest that Judge Dick holds the record for the number of murder trials she has appeared in as a barrister, at more than 40.

Junior members of the bar were “in awe” of Judge Dick, out of both respect for her talent and fear of her, Mr Hunter joked to the assembled gathering.

Judge Dick thanked her supportive family and senior members of the profession who showed her the ropes, saying that her career had been a “wild ride” starting from her first day as an articled clerk “on the back of motorcycle”.

“The outgoing articled clerk was told to take me to the Magistrates Court,” she said.

“Instead he took me to the parking lot and handed me a motorbike helmet.”

“(A) I had never been on a motorbike before and (B) It was 1972 and I was in a miniskirt,” she said.

The ceremony was attended by Judge Dick’s five children as well as Chief Justice Helen Bowskill, via video link from Cairns where her honour is hearing cases, as well as President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Debra Mullins, and several other serving and retired judges from all levels of the judiciary, including some travelling from Melbourne.