Justice William Charles Crockett AO - Victorian Bar

munity — with friends, family and asmembers of a profession.Lawyers, while they have the samerange of personal obligations that we allshare, do encounter a particular range ofopportunities, challenges and obligations.Your patron saint, St Thomas More, isrecorded by his son-in-law William Roper,as putting the just application of the lawabove personal assessments:this one thing I assure thee on my faith, thatif the parties will at my hand call for justice,then were it my father stood on the one sideand the devil on the other side (his causebeing good) the devil should have right. 2Clearly the effective and just applicationof the law is a matter of morality andis in the interests of us all.So too is the broader call to work forjustice and for those who are the poorest.But orderliness anddue process are not ofthemselves sufficientto deliver a society thatenables all to thrive.Justice — fairness — is ofcentral importance.This work is not always directly advancedin the drafting of particular documents, orthe advocating or considering of particularcases. But the understanding gainedfrom that work can and should inform thatbroader understanding, and the appropriateaction in that sphere.We also see many examples of lawyers,as with other professional people, andothers with special talents, using theirprofessional skills to advance the activityof schools, hospitals, community serviceorganisations, or those needy individualswho are not in the position to pay forservices.I am highly aware of the great amountof effective pro bono work on behalf ofindividuals and the organisations thatserve them. The society owes the membersof the legal profession a great debtfor this work, and the Catholic communityhas perhaps benefited disproportionatelyin this area.Finally I invite you to hear the wordsof today’s reading from St Paul to theEphesians as your own and as we embarkon a new legal year I offer those words asa blessing to each of you:Justice Cavanough, Chris Melis, Judge Frances Hogan, Justice Elizabeth Curtinand Judge Frank Dyett.54