Obituary - Peter Julian Cahill

Peter was educated at Xavier College and at the University of Melbourne. He served Long Articles – completing the Law subjects required for admission to practice at the University of Melbourne – and was admitted to practice on 1 August 1972.

He came directly to the Bar, signing the Bar Roll on 10 August 1972. He read with Frank Walsh (later QC; then a Judge of the County Court; now retired – His Honour Frank Walsh AM QC).

After just a few years’ practice in Melbourne – in or about 1975, Peter was appointed Crown Counsel in Hong Kong. At the end of that contract, he returned to practice in Melbourne – but the spell of the Orient had taken hold. He soon returned to Hong Kong, again as Crown Counsel.

Peter was promoted to Senior Crown Counsel and, over the following 7 or 8 years, he headed the International Law Unit of the Prosecutions Division of the Hong Kong Department of Justice. He had the carriage of cases involving complex issues of mutual assistance, extradition and related matters. He was further promoted to, and retired at, the rank of Senior Assistant Crown Prosecutor.

In 1993, he was called to the Hong Kong Bar. He had a number of Readers – and both his Readers and Juniors benefitted from his professional generosity. At the Independent Bar, he took both Prosecution and Defence work. He continued practising until illness slowly overtook, and eventually overwhelmed, him. He was a gentle and kind man to the very end.

He was an avid traveller and a keen sailor – he had a share in a junk and sailed in her often.

In December 2006, Peter had the very great pleasure of moving the admission to practice in Victoria of his daughter Victoria.

Peter’s funeral is tomorrow, Thursday 23 August 2018, at 10 am in St Joseph’s Catholic Church 37 Garden Road, Hong Kong.