Anne-Marie Hutchinson Memorial Lecture

Anne-Marie Hutchinson Memorial Lecture

I have been given the great honour today of talking about my friend and colleague, the late Anne-Marie Hutchinson, OBE QC (Hons).

Speaking at the tail end of this meeting, I have to keep this interesting!

I am not going to talk at first about Anne-Marie, but two other inspirational women in my first law job, when I was young and green. I’m doing so because they offer parallels with Anne-Marie. One of those women has spoken at this conference. She was a young mum, passionate, caring about clients, concerned about domestic violence (which did not have that name back then), a bit of a perfectionist, a very stylish dresser, took steps to end forced marriage, and a top class family lawyer. On one occasion that lawyer was refused the ability to appear by an old dinosaur of a judge- because she wore culottes.

Read Stephen’s lecture here.

Request an Appointment
Fill in the form below to find out if you have a claim.
Request an Appointment - Stephen Page
Things to Read, Watch & Listen

International Surrogacy Births Hit a New Record

For every child born through surrogacy in Australia, around five children born overseas through surrogacy now apply for Australian citizenship by descent. That is the picture emerging from the latest figures discussed here. It is a striking comparison, even allowing for the fact that the domestic and international figures measure different things. In the year… Read More »International Surrogacy Births Hit a New Record

Surrogacy law reform: what’s next after the ALRC inquiry

The Australian Law Reform Commission’s surrogacy inquiry could be an important moment for Australian families. Its report has been delivered to the Commonwealth Attorney-General and is due to be tabled in federal parliament. The question is not simply what the report recommends. It is whether Australia’s nine governments will work together to turn those recommendations… Read More »Surrogacy law reform: what’s next after the ALRC inquiry

MRKH syndrome: how surrogacy can help you become a parent

MRKH syndrome means being born without a uterus. It does not mean that parenthood is impossible. For women with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome, often shortened to MRKH, the journey to understanding their body can begin at a young age. Many discover in their early teenage years, commonly around 14 or 15, that they will not be able… Read More »MRKH syndrome: how surrogacy can help you become a parent

Family Law Section Law Council of Australia Award
Member of Queensland law society
Family law Practitioners Association
International Academy of Family Lawyers - IAFL
Mediator Standards Board