Learning from William Ah Ket, Victoria's First Chinese Australian Barrister

In this special crossover episode of Asian Law Voices and Inside Commercial Law, Professor Andrew Godwin discusses with Dr Ben Hopper the beautiful recently published book, William Ah Ket: His Life and Times, about Victoria’s first barrister of Chinese ethnicity, William Ah Ket (1876-1936). The book was written by William’s daughter, Toylaan Ah Ket, and co-edited by Professor Godwin.

They discuss: Andrew’s involvement in the project; William’s journey from growing up in the country town of Wangaratta to studying law at the University of Melbourne; William’s fights for social justice, including against discriminatory anti-Chinese laws like the Factories Acts; family life in upper-middle class Melbourne in the interbellum period between the two world wars; and what we can learn from William’s unique and rich life and philosophy today.

The book is available for purchase here.