Pamela Tate

Pamela Tate SC is the current Solicitor-General of Victoria, Australia. In 2003, she became the first woman to be appointed to the position. [ [http://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/newmedia.nsf/798c8b072d117a01ca256c8c0019bb01/10bc234bb79bb89aca256d5d007ad481!OpenDocument Media Release: Pamela Tate Victoria’S First Female Solicitor-General ] ] The Solicitor-General is the second highest law officer of state in Victoria, behind the Attorney-General. The Solicitor-General is the chief legal adviser to the Government, and appears in court as senior counsel in cases in which the Government is a party. [ [http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/07/08/1057430203480.html theage.com.au - The Age ] ]

Tate was born in Dunedin, New Zealand, and studied philosophy at the University of Otago, where she graduated with first-class honours. She studied law at Monash University, graduating in 1987, again with first-class honours. Her academic brilliance enabled her to receive a Commonwealth scholarship to undertake three years of postgraduate study at the University of Oxford.

Before being called to the Bar in 1991, Tate worked as an associate to High Court Justice Sir Daryl Dawson. She then became one of Australia's most successful barristers in public law, appearing in a number of high-profile cases. She developed particular expertise in constitutional, administrative and commercial law. On 8 July 2003, Attorney-General Rob Hulls announced that Tate would become the new Solicitor-General of Victoria - the first woman to be appointed to the position. The appointment was also the first in Victorian history which had been decided after public advertisement of the position. Previously, the position was privately selected.

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