The Australian Women's Register

Summary

When self-government was conferred on the Northern Territory in 1978, Juliet Shields (nee Baxter), who had been employed as a clerk with the Northern Territory Administration of the Commonwealth Public Service, became responsible for the Commercial Division of the Territory’s new Department of Law. In a role which spanned almost 20 years, she managed numerous of the Government’s major commercial transactions. In 1951, Baxter (as she was then) was the recipient of a Commonwealth Scholarship; she was appointed as a junior clerk in the Public Trust Office in the same year. On 25 January 1954, Baxter commenced as a clerk (Professional Division) in the Crown Solicitor’s Office. Two years later, she graduated with a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Sydney. She was admitted to practice as a barrister (New South Wales) and solicitor (Northern Territory and High Court of Australia). In 1959, she married and moved to Darwin, where she worked for the then Crown Law Officer, Ronald (Ron) Withnall. At one time she was a chairperson of the Agents Licensing Board. Shields enjoyed a number of creative outlets, including acting and dressmaking.