After nearly half a century devoted to criminal defence, Terry O’Gorman AM of Robertson O’Gorman Solicitors, a respected legal figure in Queensland, is retiring from private practice this month.
From his early days at the Aboriginal Legal Service to his role with Robertson O’Gorman Solicitors from 1981 onwards with retired District Court Judge John Robertson, Terry’s career has been a testament to his unwavering commitment to justice.
Terry O’Gorman will continue his
involvement in law reform.
He was raised in a conservative, Catholic family. He is one of 15 siblings. He was a law student in 1971 when Joh Bjelke‑Petersen declared a state of emergency in Queensland to ensure anti‑apartheid protests did not interrupt the racially selected Springbok rugby match.
He was involved in the legal observer group and witnessed an unprecedented police presence resulting in violent arrests of protestors outside the Tower Mill Hotel. Some of Terry’s legal observer colleagues were so traumatised that they abandoned the cause. Terry doubled down. His fight for civil liberties is a battle that has now spanned five decades.
In his early career with the Aboriginal Legal Service, Terry saw first hand how many indigenous suspects were verballed and assaulted by police. He began going out to night spots and police stations and covertly recording the police. The recordings were later used in cases to prove miscarriages of justice.
In 1975, the ALRC Report 2 – Criminal Investigation recommended all police interviews be electronically recorded to curb the practice of verballing. Under Premier Bjelke‑Petersen, the practice continued until 1989 when, ironically, Terry’s older brother Frank who was then a senior police officer was responsible for implementing mandatory tape recording of police interviews.
In 1988, Terry cross‑examined the Premier during the Fitzgerald Inquiry. The inquiry was a turning point in the culture and mindset of the politicians (and even some judges) who previously refused to believe police were abusing their power.
In 1991, the High Court handed down judgment in McKinney v The Queen which directed that juries be strongly warned about the reliability of unrecorded admissions. In contemporaneous times, Terry has unfailingly called‑out the ‘law and order auction’ that persistently plays out in the media.
Terry lived through the trammelling of civil liberties in Queensland. The passage of time makes it easy to now overlook, or undervalue, the hard-won reform to which Terry centrally contributed. In fact, his work over half a decade has helped to ensure Queenslanders are not condemned to the fate of those who cannot remember the past, or might choose to forget it.
In a courtroom, Terry is well known as a fierce, independent and formidable advocate for all criminal defendants. With his signature flicking of the tie across his shoulder, any witness knew they were about to be properly cross‑examined.
Beyond the courtroom, Terry’s pro-bono contribution to the legal profession is immense. He has worked tirelessly in his roles as President of the Queensland and Australian Council for Civil Liberties.
He gave countless hours on behalf of the profession to the Queensland Law Society through his involvement in the Criminal Law Committee, as a QLS Senior Counsellor and as an accredited specialist in criminal law.
He was an Executive Member of the National Association for Criminal Lawyers following its inception in 1986. He has shared his expertise at national and international criminal law conferences, earning a reputation as a leading voice in the field.
Terry’s extraordinary service has been rightfully recognised with numerous accolades. In 1991, he was awarded the Order of Australia for services to the legal profession. In 2020, he received the Law Society’s Outstanding Accredited Specialist Award. In 2021, Terry received the Queensland Law Society’s President’s Medal.
Terry receiving the President’s Medal from QLS
President Elizabeth Shearer in 2021.
That same year he also received the prestigious Law Council of Australia President’s Medal.
Terry has always strongly believed that lawyers hold a responsibility not only to their clients but to society, ensuring the protection of civil liberties and human rights.
This philosophy shaped both his career and the ongoing mission of Robertson O’Gorman, where law reform and pro bono work remain central to the firm’s legacy. He has often been described as relentless in his pursuit of justice.
True to his character, Terry’s retirement will be anything but idle. Instead of golf or fishing, Terry’s retirement ‘hobbies’ will include law reform activities dealing with the failure of disclosure in criminal cases and pro bono assistance to organisations that support miscarriages of justice.
Terry has as one of his post‑retirement goals the establishment of a National Criminal Cases Review Commission dealing with miscarriages of justice. Such bodies have existed in the United Kingdom for well over 20 years and more recently in New Zealand and is currently being legislated in Canada.
On his retirement, Terry said: “It is with mixed feelings that I leave the practice of law. While I will no longer represent individuals before the criminal justice system, I intend to maintain my involvement in law reform activities on behalf of the Queensland and Australian Council for Civil Liberties.”
As Terry steps away from daily legal practice, his profound influence and passion for justice will continue to resonate in the legal community.
Terry with colleagues Dan Rogers and Emma Higgins
at this year’s Best Lawyers Breakfast.
His colleagues at Robertson O’Gorman, under the leadership of Dan Rogers and Emma Higgins, are proud to carry forward the values he instilled in the firm.
On this, he said: “I am proud of Robertson O’Gorman’s history, both in the fearless defence of individuals and in the broader pursuit of law reform activities for half a century. I look forward to watching the firm’s continued success.”
Though he retires from the courtroom, Terry’s unwavering commitment to civil liberties will forever be a guiding force in the fight for justice.
One Response
So fearsome, such resolute front footed artistry. So incoherently out of tune! We shared a microphone or two at WHD Lawyers Christmas parties years ago (and before you became famous ;)). Was awe inspired then and still.
Write something – please! Context and drive maketh history!
Much love and awe.