The legacy of Australia's first Asian lawyer

The legacy of Australia’s first Asian lawyer, William Ah Ket, who battled racism and achieved landmark victories, lives on. As the first Chinese Australian to join the Victorian Bar, William was born in June 1876 and admitted to the Bar to practise as a barrister and lawyer in 1903. He fought against legislation that discriminated against people of Chinese origin many times and left a legacy. Read more about his story written by Joseph Lam.

Image: Chinese-Australian barrister and lawyer William Ah Ket served at the Victorian Bar for more than 30 years, but his practice was to an extent limited because of a certain prejudice among clients, one author says. Photo: Courtesy of Jennifer Wood.

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