Gordon Samuels

Gordon Jacob Samuels, (12 August 1923 – 10 December 2007) was a British-Australian lawyer and judge who served as the 36th Governor of New South Wales from 1996 to 2001.

Born in London in 1923, Samuels was educated at University College School and Balliol College, Oxford.

Samuels was born on 12 August 1923 in London, England, to a family of Jewish origin.

His grandfather, Jacob Samuels, left Lithuania for Edinburgh.

He travelled to Australia and married Mary Michaelson, whom he had met in Edinburgh.

They ran a general store in Walcha, New South Wales, where Samuels' father, Harry, was born.

Harry ran a cinema in Moree before going to war in France with his brother, Lou, who won the Military Cross.

Harry married Zelda Glass after the war and they settled in Cricklewood, London, where Samuels was born.

Samuels was educated at University College School and Balliol College, University of Oxford.

At Oxford he was awarded the degree of a Master of Arts.

When the Second World War broke out, he joined the British Army in 1942, serving in the Royal Artillery in the 96th Field Regiment (Royal Devon Yeomanry), achieving his commission as captain.

Serving in Northern Ireland, India and Malaya, Samuels was demobilised in 1946.

Entering the legal profession, Samuels was called to the bar at Inner Temple in 1948.

The following year he emigrated to Australia and worked as a clerk for Dawson Waldron Edwards and Nicholls (now Ashurst Australia).

After serving in the Second World War, he was called to the bar and emigrated to Australia in 1949.

Called to the New South Wales bar in 1952, Samuels gained a reputation as being a "persuasive advocate and destructive cross-examiner".

He married Jacqueline Kott in 1957 and had two daughters named Deborah and Selina.

Serving as a barrister in Sydney, Samuels was made a Queen's Counsel in 1964 and appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales in 1972.

Between 1964 and 1970, he was the Challis Lecturer of Law in Pleading at the University of Sydney.

In 1964, he was appointed Queen's Counsel for New South Wales and later for Victoria in 1965.

A member of the University of New South Wales Council from 1969, Samuels was appointed Chancellor of the University of New South Wales in 1976, serving until 1994, being the longest-serving Chancellor.

A member of the University of New South Wales Council from 1969, Samuels was appointed Chancellor of the University of New South Wales in 1976.

In this time he was involved in the establishment of the UNSW foundation, became a life member of the UNSW Sports Association, was the inaugural presiding member of the Australia Ensemble and became patron of the UNSW Alumni Association.

In 1971, Samuels was elected as the President of the New South Wales Bar Association, in which capacity he served until 1972.

In 1972, Samuels was appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, being elevated to the Court of Appeal in 1974.

Samuels was later appointed a Judge of the New South Wales Court of Appeal in 1974, serving till his mandatory retirement in 1993, aged 70.

These included as President of the Australian Academy of Forensic Sciences (1974–1976), President of the Australian Society of Legal Philosophy (1976–1979), President of the Commonwealth Security Appeals Tribunal (1989–1990), Chairman of the Australian Legal Education Council (1981–1985), and Presiding Member of the Advisory Committee on the Educational Needs of Overseas Trained Doctors and of the NSW Migrant Employment and Qualifications Board (1992–1995).

This new research building was named in his and his wife's honour in recognition of their services to the university since 1976.

On 8 June 1987, Samuels was made a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for "service to learning, to the community and to law".

As a Judge of Appeal until 1992, and as an Acting Judge afterwards until 1993, he participated in many of the leading decisions of that court.

On Samuels time as a Judge, Justice Michael Kirby commented: "His talents as an appellate judge shone brightly. No judge was more gifted in delivering accurate and elegant ex-tempore reasons immediately following argument. He displayed a command of facts and law and the well-furnished mind that he brought to the resolution of every judicial problem."

While a Judge of Appeal, Samuels performed many other public functions.

In 1992 the "Samuels Building" was opened on the UNSW Kensington campus.

On turning 70 in 1993, the age of mandatory judicial retirement, Samuels retired from the bench and became Chairman of the Law Reform Commission of New South Wales, a position he held until he was appointed governor in 1996.

When he retired from this position in 1994, he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, by the university.

His wife, Mrs Samuels, was awarded the degree of Doctor of the University, honoris causa.

On retirement from law, Samuels became Chairman of the Law Reform Commission of New South Wales, a position he held until he was appointed governor in 1996.

As Governor of New South Wales, he endured significant controversy over the decision not to reside in Government House, Sydney.

Despite this he served with distinction and retired in March 2001.

He died aged 84 in December 2007.