The Australian Women's Register

The following additional information was provided by Julie Hogg and is reproduced with permission in its entirety.

Judy Hogg, an only child, was born in Melbourne in 1937. Her father, Peter Spier, was a successful Melbourne architect. During her childhood, he served in the Middle East and New Guinea in the Second World War, initially in the Infantry and then in the Engineers. He attained the rank of Major. After the War he was a Director of the Australian War Graves Commission and his work took him to Japan, other areas of the Pacific, and South East Asia. He was frequently absent from home. Her mother was not in paid employment.

Judy attended Tintern and Melbourne Girls’ Grammar School (MGGS) (Merton Hall). Both were progressive schools. Ms D.J. Ross, the inspirational head of MGGS was a particular influence.

Judy has had a lifelong concern for the socially disadvantaged leading to her interest in law and political reform, and her involvement in the women’s movement in Victoria where she was a founding Member of the Kew Women’s Liberation Group.

Judy decided early in life that she wanted to have a career; she did not want to follow in her mother’s example of home duties. However, in the late 1950’s, she found the Law School at the University of Melbourne discouraging of women and did not complete her degree at this stage. She later returned to university after having children. She was fortunate to be graduating from Law School as the Family Law Act came into operation. As she had written a thesis on this legislation, she was placed in a strong position for entering the work force in that jurisdiction.

After working for several law firms, both large and small, and for Legal Aid, Judy started her own firm in 1985. She invited her friend Janet Reid to join her and they formed Hogg and Reid (which amalgamated as Carew Counsel incorporating Hogg and Reid in 2013). The prime focus was Family Law which was dealt with in a non-sexist manner. Her philosophy being that the law was available to redress imbalances of power. She has, for example, successfully obtained orders for fathers to be the primary carers of children, and for women to obtain the control of a business.

The objective of the firm has always been to resolve matters in a conciliatory manner with a minimum of expense and stress to the parties and to focus on the future needs of the children and their parents.

Judy has always regarded it as important that the firm should provide a supportive environment for employees and in particular women returning to work after absence from work due to domestic responsibilities. She has had a number of articled clerks, continues to be a mentor to junior solicitors, and has had numerous work experience students. Many of these who have had such associations have achieved distinction in their careers.

Judy has always contributed beyond her professional role. At the suggestion of a publisher friend, she wrote ‘Splitting Up’, a vital hand book for people facing separation and divorce in Australia”, now in its fourth edition. The book was designed to prevent people from making decisions based on incorrect assumptions about the law, to help them through a difficult period, and to put them in touch with resources.
 
As well as the voluntary roles, that she has occupied, listed above, Judy has held the following appointments:

• Various positions on Committees at the Law Institute of Victoria
• Founding member of the Family Law and Psychology Association of Australasia
• Instructor in Family Law at the Leo Cussens Institute for Continuing Legal Education
• Member of the Social Secretary Appeals Tribunal
• Member of the Equal Opportunity Board of Victoria
• Board Member of Relationships Australia
• Board Member of Women’s Health Victoria
• Board Member of Peter McCallum Cancer Institute
• Royal Women’s Hospital Committee
• Breast Screen Victoria Committees
• Member of Panel of Expert Lawyers advising Mediators as to the state of Family Law