Judith Olwyn Medlicott (née Sloan) is a New Zealand lawyer and former Chancellor of the

University of Otago , image_name = University of Otago Registry Building2.jpg , image_size = , caption = University clock tower , motto = la, Sapere aude , mottoeng = Dare to be wise , established = 1869; 152 years ago , type = Public research collegiate ...

Early life and education

Medlicott was educated at

Otago Girls' High School , motto_translation = The Right Education Makes The Heart As Strong As Oak , type = State , grades = 9 - 13 , grades_label = Years , gender = Girls-only , established = ; years ago , address = 41 Tennyson Street ...

Dunedin Dunedin ( ; mi, Ōtepoti) is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from , the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Th ...

. She took up her law studies in 1972, after an MA degree, marriage and three children. In 1971, she was one of the eight original members of the Dunedin Collective for Woman. Medlicott was admitted to the bar in 1975. Both her degrees were completed at the University of Otago.

Career

Medlicott's first position was at Dunedin law firm Cook Allan & Co. in 1975; she was made partner in 1980. In 1986 she left to form her own practice. At this time she also founded OWLS, the Otago Women's Law Society. Her legal work has often centred around issues of significance to women, such as Family Court and relationship property issues. She is also frequently appointed by the Family Court to represent children in custody and welfare cases. In 1988 Medlicott won the New Zealand ''

Mastermind Mastermind, Master Mind or The Mastermind may refer to: Fictional characters * Mastermind (Jason Wyngarde), a fictional supervillain in Marvel Comics, a title also held by his daughters: ** Martinique Jason, the first daughter and successor of th ...

'' TV competition. Medlicott was Chancellor of the University of Otago from 1993 to 1998. She has served on a number of community boards, including Radio New Zealand, the

Otago District Health Board The Otago District Health Board (Otago DHB) was a district health board with the focus on providing healthcare to an area covering most of Otago and Waitaki District in New Zealand. History The Otago District Health Board, like most other distr ...

, the New Zealand Law Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal and the Ashburn Hall Charitable Trust. In 2003, Medlicott was one of 140 prominent New Zealanders who signed a petition seeking a Royal Commission into the controversial conviction of childcare worker Peter Ellis.

Honours and awards

In the

1998 Queen's Birthday Honours Queen's Birthday Honours are announced on or around the date of the Queen's Official Birthday in the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth countries. The dates vary, both from year to year and from country to country. All are published in suppleme ...

, Medlicott was appointed a

Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have ren ...

, for services to the legal profession, education and the community. The same year she received an honorary doctorate of law from the University of Otago. In 2014 she was awarded a life membership of OWLS in recognition of her inspirational career and service to the legal community.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Medlicott, Judith Living people 20th-century New Zealand lawyers Chancellors of the University of Otago New Zealand women lawyers 21st-century New Zealand lawyers University of Otago alumni Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit People educated at Otago Girls' High School Contestants on New Zealand game shows Year of birth missing (living people) New Zealand feminists Otago District Health Board members