Leycester Meares

Infobox Person
name= Charles Leycester Devenish Meares
|image_size=
caption=
birth_date= Birth date |1909|16|1
birth_place= Sydney, New South Wales
death_date= Death date |1994|5|8
death_place= Kirribilli, New South Wales
education= Newington College
University of Sydney
occupation= Solicitor, Barrister, Queen's Counsel, Judge
title= The Honourable Leycester Meares AC, CMG, QC
spouse=
parents=
children=
nationality= Australian
website=

The Honourable [Charles] Leycester Devenish Meares AC CMG QC (January 16, 1909 – August 5, 1994) was an Australian judge, patron of the arts and chairman and benefactor of the national child safety organisation Kidsafe. cite web
title =Kidsafe
publisher =The Child Accident Prevention Foundation of Australia
url =http://www.kidsafe.com.au/
accessdate = 2008-06-30 ]

Early life

Leycester Meares was born in Sydney and attended Newington College (1924-1926). [Newington College Register of Past Students 1863-1998 (Syd, 1999)pp133 ] In 1927 he went up to the University of Sydney and graduated in law in 1932. cite web
title =Alumni Sydneienses
publisher =University of Sydney
url =http://www.bull.usyd.edu.au/as/
accessdate = 2008-06-30 ]

Legal career

Meares was admitted to the NSW Bar in 1932 and was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1954. In 1967 he was named as an acting judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales. The position was made permanent in 1969. Other legal positions held included president of the Martial Appeals Tribunal, president of the New South Wales Medico-Legal Society, president of the Australian Bar Association and chairman of the NSW Law Reform Commission.cite web
title =Law Reform Commission
publisher =Lawlink New South Wales
url =http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/lrc/ll_lrc.nsf/pages/LRC_meares
accessdate = 2008-06-30 ]

War service

Meares served with the Australian Army in World War II, attained the rank of temporary lieutenant colonel and was mentioned in despatches. cite web
title = Honours and awards (gazetted)
publisher =Australian War Memorial
url =http://www.awm.gov.au/honours/honours/person.asp?p=NX12239
accessdate = 2008-06-30 ]

Community involvement

He served as chairman of the National Advisory Council for the Handicapped, and was foundation chairman of Kidsafe from 1979.

Honours

* Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George - 1978, for service to the community, especially to the handicapped.
* Companion of the Order of Australia - 1985, for distinguished public service to the Australian honours system and for continued distinguished service in the field of social welfare.cite web
title =It's an Honour
publisher =Australian Government
url =http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/
accessdate = 2008-06-25 ]

References