Vale George Bilbie
October 24, 2008 As a number of readers are likely aware, George Bilbie, Australia's oldest practising lawyer, passed away this week. Mr Bilbie's passion for his clients, and the wider profession, serves as a timely reminder for all lawyers.
Interestingly, a May 2008 feature on Mr Bilbie by the Newcastle Regional Law Society sheds light on the technology available to lawyers in the late 1920s:
When he first commenced work he did not even know how to use the telephone. In those days, duplicate letters were produced by use of a letter press until the advent of carbon ribbons for typewriters. George's involvement with typing and duplicating of letters and legal documents was for him an education. He also says that his shorthand and typing skills proved invaluable to him in his later career.
Mr Bilbie justified a decision to avoid litigation practice:
Although George had been involved in instructing Counsel at Court, he decided to avoid litigation: "too much sitting around and wasting time."
A June 2008 feature in The Australian also noted the thoughts of Mr Bilbie in relation to technological advances:
But changes in technology had made the biggest difference to working life. In the old days things happened at a more leisurely pace.
"It was easier to work because you didn't have fax machines," he said. 'You could do a job, have it typed and post it and know full well you wouldn't get an answer for three or four days.
"Today, you fax a document, say thank goodness for that, and in half an hour you get an answer back."
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