BA, LLB, HonLLD
Attended St Margaret’s 1927-1931
Una Prentice (nee Bick)when asked why she took up law as a career replied, “It was all owing to the encouragement given to me by Sister Elizabeth who was Head Mistress when I was at St Margaret’s” (The Link, 1957 p 65). After school, Una commenced an Arts Degree at the University of Queensland and was one of the first law students to attend the TC Beirne School of Law founded in 1936.
From these beginnings Una went on to be the first female law graduate of her cohort at the University of Queensland in 1938 and the first female admitted to the Queensland Bar. Later, Una was admitted as a barrister of the High Court of Australia and appeared as the first female Commonwealth prosecutor.
In 1985, Una was honoured by the University of Queensland with the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws. Her award recognized her distinguished service to the cause of women, to the legal profession and to the University of Queensland. The Women’s Lawyers Association of Queensland’s annual Una Prentice Awards recognises the achievements of the highest graduating female law student from each law school in Queensland.
Una married barrister Tony Prentice in 1946 and son Roger was born in 1952.
She was a keen supporter of St Margaret’s and was actively involved in the OGA as its Vice President over many years. She was made an Honorary Life Member of the OGA in 1985.
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