The Australian Women's Register

Anne McMillan was the founder of the Justice for Juveniles organisation and later the Youth Advocacy Centre in Brisbane.

Ms McMillan is a barrister and mediator practising primarily in all aspects of Administrative Law, Family Law, Civil/Human Rights and Discrimination and Child Protection Law. She has a long-term interest in the legal issues around bioethics as well as domestic and family violence. Ms McMillan is also an Adjunct Professor at the TC Beirne School of Law, University of Queensland.

Francine McNiff was a major benefactor of the University of
Melbourne, funding Chairs in Human Rights (Law School) and in Criminology (Arts) and a Scholarship Fund for doctoral
researchers in medical jurisprudence.

McNiff also bequeathed a large sum to her alma mater, Monash University. It was the largest bequest the university had ever received from an alumnus. The donation established a Francine McNiff Chair in Criminal Jurisprudence and funded two PhD students from disadvantaged backgrounds annually, to study criminology.

Bek McPaul was admitted to the New South Wales in 1948 and worked at the Law Book Company from the 1950s onwards.

Marie McRae was admitted to the Victorian Bar in 1974.

In 1974 Magistrate Jacqueline Milledge became one of the first two female police prosecutors in NSW and remains the only person to be appointed directly from the constabulary to the bench in 1996. Milledge has gained a profile for her role as the Coroner in the 2006 inquest into Dianne Brimble’s death aboard a cruise liner; the 2003 inquest into the murders of three gay men near cliffs at Bondi; and the four-year inquest into the killing of prostitute Arron Light. Milledge entered the NSW police force the same year as Christine Nixon. She studied law as a 38-year-old and was appointed a magistrate at the age of 44.

Gabrielle Morgan was admitted to the Victorian Bar in 1978.

Ada Moshinsky QC was admitted to the Victorian Bar in 1965 and was the third woman to be appointed a Queen’s Counsel in Victoria.

Irene Kwong Moss AO, BA LLB Sydney LLM Harv HonLLD UNSW is a consultant, currently leading reviews of licensing in home building and prison legislation. She was Commissioner, Independent Commission Against Corruption from 1999 to 2004; and previous positions/roles include NSW Ombudsman, Magistrate, Federal Race Discrimination Commissioner, Chair of the National Breast Cancer Centre, Board Member of SBS and Power House Museum, and Chair of the National Inquiry into Racist Violence. She received a Sydney University Testamur in 2001. She was a
Fellow of the University of Sydney Senate, 1 December 2005 – 30 November 2009.

Elizabeth Murphy was admitted to the Victorian Bar in 1978.

Ms Frances Nelson QC was admitted to the South Australian Bar Association in 1967 becoming the second female QC in South Australia. She is also a member of the Northern Territory and Western Australian Bar Associations. She is currently the Chair of the Parole Board. Ms Nelson practises in administrative law, contract law, building disputes, criminal law, family law and civil remedies and has conducted over 400 mediations in South Australia, Victoria and the Northern Territory. She has previously been a member of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal, the Commercial and Private Agents Tribunal, the Board of Sport, Arts & Recreation and the Council for People with a Disability. Ms Nelson has also chaired a number of high profile inquiries on behalf of the South Australian Government.

Dr Angela O’Brien was called to the Bar in 2010. She has worked primarily in the following areas: Family Law – Parenting Orders and Property; Children’s Law (Family matters); Wills and Probate; Family Provision; Trusts; Family Violence; Intervention Orders; Victims of Crime; Employment disputes. She has an interest in coronial enquiry, intellectual property and disciplinary proceedings. Prior to joining the Bar, Angela was a senior academic at the University of Melbourne where she was an Associate Professor, foundation Head of the School of Creative Arts and Deputy Dean of the School of Graduate Studies. She has expertise in dispute resolution and law associated with the education sector, including workplace disputes, student disputes, education/research contracts, intellectual property disputes and administrative review. She has undertaken research involving the use of creative activity in diversionary programs with youthful offenders and youth at risk. She was the Chief Investigator in a large four year Australia Research Council (Linkage) funded project supported by the Department of Justice, Department of Human Services, VicHealth, Arts Victoria and the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court. This project won the University of Melbourne inaugural Knowledge Transfer Excellence Award in 2007. She co-authored on this project, Creative Interventions for Marginalised Youth: the Risky Business Project (2008). A volume of essays, edited by O’Brien and Donelan, The Arts and Youth at Risk: Global and Local Challenges was also published in 2008. Dr O’Brien has extensive experience in ADR. She is a graded arbitrator with the Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators Australia (IAMA) and was an elected member of the IAMA National Council between 2004 and 2010. She was IAMA President 2008/9. She has been an accredited mediator since 2002 and a Nationally accredited mediator since 2008. She was a member of the National Mediator Accreditation Committee, which implemented the National Accreditation Standards in Australia. She has coached on the IAMA and Victorian Bar mediation training courses.

In 1990 Justice Deirdre Frances O’Connor became the first woman to be appointed to the Federal Court. She was also the President of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission.

Gabrielle O’Connor was admitted to the New South Wales Bar in 1973.

Patricia O’Hara was admitted to the Victorian Bar in 1963.

Peggy O’Neal joined the board of the Richmond Football Club on 12 November 2005 and was elected president in 2013, becoming the first female president of an Australian Football League Club. Peggy is a lawyer and acts as a consultant to Lander & Rogers law firm, having stepped down as a partner of Freehills in 2009. She is also on the board of a number of entities in the financial services sector and was a consultant to the federal government during its review of the superannuation system. Peggy became a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors in 2008. Peggy became a Life Member of the Richmond Football Club in 2015.

Her Honour Margaret O’Toole retired as a Judge of the District Court of New South Wales in 2012.

In 1991, Gail Owen was appointed President of the Law Institute of Victoria – the first woman to head this institution. Gail was first admitted to practice as a barrister and solicitor in Victoria in 1977 with subsequent admissions in ACT, NSW and WA. Prior to joining HWL Ebsworth in February 2008, Gail was a partner with Gadens Lawyers from 2005 to 2007 and Blake Dawson Waldron from 1987 until 2004. She has also worked as an in-house legal adviser at CRA Limited and Electrolytic Zinc Company of Australasia Limited.

From February 2012 until August 2015, Gail was Deputy Chairman of the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation. She has also served as a Director of AGEST Super Pty Ltd, the trustee of the Australian Government Employees Superannuation Trust. Gail is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Gail was awarded an OAM for services to the law on Australia Day 2006.

Gail is currently ranked by Best Lawyers® as one of Australia’s best lawyers in the fields of Energy Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Mining Law, Natural Resources Law and Oil & Gas Law. Doyle’s Guide names Gail as a Recommended lawyer for Energy & Resources Law in Victoria.

Alice Joan Palfreyman was admitted to the New South Wales Bar in 1969.

Jacqui Payne was the first Indigenous woman to be admitted as a solicitor in Queensland. She worked in criminal defence for fourteen years: for the ATSI Corporation Legal Service and later in her own successful private practice. Jacqui was appointed as a Magistrate in 1999 and has presided in both the Brisbane Magistrates Court and the Murri Court.

Noreen Peachey was admitted to the New South Wales Bar in the 1960s.

Mahla Pearlman was the first woman to become chief judge of any jurisdiction within the state of New South Wales. At the time of her appointment to the NSW Land and Environment Court she stated: ‘I don’t think of myself as a woman lawyer. I think of myself as a lawyer. Then I get on with it! I suppose my appointment is good for me and good for women. I hope it’s good for the legal profession and good for solicitors.’

Rayna Pettet was a solicitor with the Aboriginal Legal Service in New South Wales, based in Cowra, for thirty-three years. When she started working with the Legal Service in the 1970s she was the only woman on staff.

Marguerite Picard is a Melbourne-based accredited Family Law specialist, a Collaborative Lawyer and a Mediator who specialises in helping couples divorce without going to Court. She worked in litigation for many years, and has experienced firsthand the ongoing devastation that the traditional divorce process can leave in its wake, which sometimes includes irreversible damage to family ties and relationships. Marguerite realised that there had to be a better way and found it in Collaborative Practice. With her colleagues, a Psychologist and Financial Planner, she established the Melbourne Collaborative Alliance.

Gae Pincus completed an LLB at the Australian National University. She went on to work in the Office of Women’s Affairs; as an Associate for High Court Justice Lionel Murphy in 1982. In 1983 she returned to the Public Service to work in a legislative capacity dealing with law reform within various government departments. She went on to establish and chair the National Food Authority before working for the international body Food and Agricultural Organization.

Dr Sally Pitkin is a Company Director and Lawyer with thirty years’ corporate experience. Her current portfolio of board roles include ASX 200 companies, Federal Government owned business enterprises, private companies, regulatory bodies and non-profit organizations. Sally is the President of the Queensland Division of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She holds a Doctorate in the field of governance, and is an Adjunct Professor with the UQ Business School and a Fellow of Bond University. Her skills in corporate governance, risk management, strategy and business planning, organizational culture and stakeholder engagement have been developed from her legal background, eighteen years’ experience as a non-executive director and board member, and doctoral research.

In January 2021, Sally Pitkin was awarded an AO for distinguished service to business, to corporate governance standards and performance, to the arts, and to the advancement of women.

Kiki Politis was admitted to the Victorian Bar in 1979.