WESTERN Victoria lost a veritable giant in the legal fraternity on Monday.

A statement from the Western District Law Association via Hamilton law firm Melville Orton & Lewis expressed regret at the passing of Judge Gordon Lewis AM, detailing and praising his long and decorated career.

GORDON Lewis was born in 1934, the second son of Bert, a Railways Station Master, and Julia Lewis.

He was at the forefront of the legal fraternity in Victoria and will be sadly missed; he served the Victorian community with distinction, courtesy, humanity and good humour.

At age four he fell from a railway platform and damaged his pelvis - as a result of being incorrectly diagnosed he was left with one leg shorter than the other and a permanent limp.

He was educated at Geelong High School and went onto graduate from Law School at the University of Melbourne in 1957.

Gordon Lewis had a career of 16 years in private practice as a solicitor and notary.

He completed his articles at Hall & Wilcox and was admitted to practice in 1959.

He commenced his career practising at inner suburban practice Mills Oakley before relocating in 1962 to Hamilton, where he joined the firm previously known as Melville and Miller.

With a name change to Melville Orton & Lewis and his partners at the time, Don Melville and Hal Orton, the firm was built into a very successful practice and became one of the longest serving in the Western District.

Later in his career he spent three years as Victorian Government Solicitor.

In 1975, Gordon Lewis was appointed as secretary and then executive director of the Law Institute of Victoria, being the premier legal services’ membership body in Victoria.

For 11 years he worked with the Law Institute of Victoria during what many refer to as “the golden age” but where he also lead the Law Institute of Victoria through fraud, fire and flood.

In 1975, merely six weeks after his appointment as executive director of the Law Institute of Victoria, he commenced tackling the largest trust account defalcation that Australia, or the world had seen, with a total pay-out in excess of $11 million, whereby everyone was eventually paid in full.

In 1976 the Law Institute of Victoria fell victim to flood and in 1978 the building was destroyed as a result of fire by arson.

He was at the forefront of legal developments in Victoria, including at his recommendation and under his leadership saw the introduction of the current compulsory professional indemnity insurance scheme, specialist sections at the Law Institute of Victoria, a Management Advisory Service at the Law Institute of Victoria, Continuing Legal Education, and the establishment of Law Week which is a highly successful state-wide event.

The Law Institute of Victoria membership base extensively expanded by 44 per cent during Gordon Lewis’ time, which is a testament to his outstanding contributions and leadership.

Throughout his life, Gordon Lewis significantly contributed towards the education of others.

He was an Independent Lecturer in Professional Conduct at the University of Melbourne Law School and he was also a highly esteemed and well-published author of ethics texts.

His books remain regularly utilised given their practical nature and he held a deep passion for what he referred to as the humanity of the law.

He most recently published “Bitten by an Elephant: Memoir of a Maverick Lawyer” in 2017.

He also regularly presented on radio, with a long-running weekly legal talkback radio session and film review segment on ABC Radio, and was a guest presenter at both overseas and Australian conferences.

He had a long and diverse legal career: he was appointed to the County Court of Victoria bench in 1990 where he presided for 14 years, and he additionally was appointed the Corporate Affairs Commissioner, Racing Integrity Commissioner, Deputy Chair of the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation, Road Safety Camera Commissioner, Australia’s representative on the International Cricket Council Judicial Commission, Cricket Australia’s Senior Code of Conduct Commissioner, and Australian Cricket Board Senior Code of Behaviour Commission.

Gordon Lewis’ many accomplishments were recognised in 1986 when he was awarded Life Membership of the Law Institute of Victoria.

He was additionally appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for his remarkable service to the law and community.

He had a long-distinguished career of service to the public, to the profession and in the public service.

He lived in Hamilton for a large portion of his life and maintained many local connections.

He is survived by his wife Rhonda, sons David and Richard, and daughter Virginia.