successful. She later said, "Many distinguished lawyers took a lot of trouble and effort to explain to me that it was not their policy to take on women as articled clerks." Instead, she took a job with the Australian Public Service, although, in accordance with the then regulations, she was required to relinquish her employment when she married. In 1988, Gaudron was awarded an honorary doctorate in law from Macquarie University, and another from the University of Sydney in 1999. Career Barrister Gaudron was admitted to the New South Wales Bar in October 1968 after having completed her articles of clerkship and commenced practice as a barrister. She attempted to buy a room for herself in one of the barristers' chambers in Sydney but was regularly knocked back because she was a woman. When future High Court colleague Michael McHugh attempted to sell his room, the other members of his chambers would not let Gaudron buy it, although there were no other buyers. She eventually shared a room with Janet Coombs, another pioneering female barrister. Gaudron regularly argued before the Supreme Court of New South Wales and the High Court in the early 1970s, particularly in the area of industrial law. In 1972 she became the first woman to be appointed to the Council of the New South Wales Bar. Gaudron's first major breakthrough was in 1970 with O'Shaughnessy v Mirror Newspapers Ltd, where as a 27-year-old junior counsel she successfully argued the matter single-handedly before the High Court after the plaintiff, Peter O'Shaughnessy, sacked his senior counsel, Clive Evatt QC, preferring her ability over the veteran. According to O'Shaughnessy, 'she cut a valiant figure, this "slip of a girl", who stood unsupported before the five legal elders of the land. They were obviously impressed by her courage, her sheer elegant dash, her shining intellect finding expression in felicitous language, her good manners, charm, poise. And perhaps, when all is said and done, by her sheer cheek in taking on the case.' Another one of Gaudron's significant cases was in 1972, when she successfully argued the Equal Pay case for the Whitlam Labor government before the Conciliation and Arbitration Commission. Early in 1972, Gaudron had entered a bar with a male barrister friend when the waitress informed the friend that the bar did not serve women. Gaudron "patiently explained to the barmaid that my friend didn't want a woman because