Guide to the Papers of Judith Cohen

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MS 9302

National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record

Collection Summary

Creator
Judith Cohen
Title
Papers of Judith Cohen
Date Range
1938-1996
Collection Number
MS 9302
Extent
0.73 metres (4 boxes, 6 folio items)
Language of Materials
English
Repository
National Library of Australia

Introduction

Scope and Contents

The collection includes business as well as family papers. The bulk of the business papers document Cohen's career from the time of her appointment as a Commissioner of the Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Commission in 1975.

The collection comprises several folders of Commission judgments, certificates of appointment, correspondence, speeches, photographs, educational records, newspaper cuttings and family birth, death and marriage certificates.

Conditions Governing Access

Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1524284).

Conditions Governing Use

Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.

Preferred Citation

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Judith Cohen, National Library of Australia, MS 9302, [box number and series and/or file number]'.

Provenance

The papers were donated to the Library by Judith Cohen in April 1997.

Arrangement

The papers have been grouped into series by the Library.

Biographical Note

Judith Jacqueline Cohen (neƩ Selig) has had a distinguished career in Australian law. Born on 7 February 1926, she married Sam Cohen in 1953, and has two daughters.

Cohen was educated firstly at the Presbyterian Ladies College, Pymble (Sydney) and then at Sydney Church of England Girls Grammar School. She went on to complete a Bachelor of Arts Degree and a Bachelor of Laws Degree at Sydney University, and a Diploma of Education at Melbourne University.

In 1950 Cohen was admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, and practised in that State in 1950-53. In 1953 she was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria, and practised as a solicitor in Melbourne for the periods 1953-55, 1962-66 and 1970-75. In 1975 Cohen accepted an offer of appointment from the Whitlam Labor government as a Commissioner of the Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Commission (from 1989 the Australian Industrial Relations Commission). She was appointed a Deputy President of the Commission in 1980, and remained with the Commission until her retirement in 1991.

From 1991 to 1996 Cohen was Chair of the Insurance Council of Australia's Claims Review Panel. The role of the three-person panel was to review the complaints of consumers who disputed the way insurers had dealt with their claims.

In 1992 Cohen was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for her services to industrial relations.

During her career Cohen was involved with a number of organisations. These include:

  1. Member of the Victorian Women Lawyers Association since 1953
  2. Member of the Victorian Advisory Committee, ABC, 1973-76
  3. Trustee of the National Council of Jewish Women's Foundation, 1977-96
  4. Member of the Advisory Committee in the Social Sciences, National Library, 1982-84
  5. Member of the Council of the National Library, 1984-90
  6. Member of the Lyceum Club of Melbourne since 1984
  7. Trustee of the Norman Smorgon House Foundation and the Norman Smorgon House Scholarship Fund, 1986-96
  8. Chairperson, Federal Costs Advisory Committee, 1990-91
  9. Member of the Council of the Victoria University of Technology, 1990-93
  10. Chair of the Insurance Council of Australia's Claims Review Panel, 1991-96

Item Descriptions

Series 1. Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Commission, 1975-91

In 1975 Cohen became the first woman to be appointed as a Commissioner of the Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Commission (which became the Australian Industrial Relations Commission in 1989). In 1980 she was appointed as a Deputy President of the Commission. She retired from the Commission in 1991. This series comprises papers relating to Cohen's work with the Commission. The bulk of the papers consist of several folders containing copies of decisions Cohen made while a Commissioner. Other papers include certificates of appointment, papers relating to official swearing in ceremonies, letters of congratulation on her appointments, correspondence, official photographs and newspaper clippings. There is also a folder of papers relating to the Government's contentious decision not to reappoint Justice Staples when the Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Commission became the Australian Industrial Relations Commission.

Decision papers, 1978-91 (File 1-9) - Box 1, 2

Other papers, 1975-91 (File 10-11) - Box 3

Folio items 1-2 (File) - Folio-Box Folio 1

Series 2. Business correspondence and papers, 1974-96

During the course of her career, Cohen has been involved with a variety of organisations. This includes work on committees, as well as guest appearances at functions. This series contains papers relating to the various appointments Cohen held, including as a member of the Australian Broadcasting Commission's State Advisory Committee (1974), as a member of the Council of the National Library (1984), as chair of the General Insurance Claims Review Panel (1991-96), and as a member of the Council of the Victorian University of Technology (1992-94). Also included are correspondence, copies of speeches, papers relating to awards and presentation ceremonies for various organisations where Cohen was a guest speaker, programs, official photographs and newspaper clippings.

Business correspondence (File 1-3) - Box 3, 4

Series 3. Family papers, 1938-92

This series contains miscellaneous personal papers. They include educational records - school and university (1938-49), copies of birth, death and marriage certificates, family photographs, newspaper clippings, and practising certificates issued by the Law Institute of Victoria (1953-75). Also included are papers relating to Cohen's admission as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales (1950) and as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria (1953), registration as a secondary teacher (1965-69), and being made an Officer of the Order of Australia (1992).

Family papers (File 1-2) - Box 4

1-4 folio items (File) - Folio-Box Folio 1

Series 4. Correspondence, 1970-94

This series comprises a small collection of personal correspondence. Major correspondents include Clyde Cameron, Zelman Cowen, Dick Hamer, Gareth Evans, Doug McClelland, Julius Stone and Mick Young. Also included are congratulatory letters on being made an Officer of the Order of Australia, received from Members of Parliament, representatives of law firms, members of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission, Jewish groups and miscellaneous organisations.

Correspondence (File 1) - Box 4


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