Andrew Evans, Cartoonist
"I look on my life primarily as a barrister, for that is my chosen career. But although I love my work and am actively 'on the job' for long hours each day, I never forget that I am a wife and a mother, for unlike men, women cannot divide their lives into watertight compartments, and keep their careers entirely free from the personal relationships entailed by a home and children." - Joan Rosanove QC
"I loved life at the Bar because it was rich, fulfilling and diverse and allowed me to have a challenging and satisfying career, happy marriage and bring up three wonderful kids." - Ada Moshinsky QC
"The life of a barrister is incredibly demanding, and that's never going to change.If you are trying to raise young children, it is very difficult to balance both, even with a supportive partner. But if you can do it, it's a wonderful job." - Judge Liz Gaynor
Click here for an excerpt of the filmed interview with Judge Liz Gaynor, conducted for the Victorian Bar Oral History project on 18 October 2005.
"What I say to women coming to the Bar is that you need to think very carefully about what sort of safety nets you have in place. And it is difficult because ultimately I decided that makeshift childcare was just not going to work out, and so it meant involving the expense of effectively having to employ someone full-time, and that's been the only way that I've been able to manage." - Judge Fran Hogan
"The Bar gave me the flexibility to work my own hours, so I could take a day off when I needed to, or I could leave work early to pick up my kids and take them to a football game." - Judge Rachelle Lewitan
In 1996, the Victorian Bar adopted a parental leave policy so that rental payments for chambers are reduced for a six-month period for a barrister who is pregnant or has the care of a young child.
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 Judge Liz Gaynor when at the Bar in 1997 (photo courtesy December Films) |
Joan Rosanove QC with daughter 
Ada Moshinsky QC