Michael Lipshutz: A love of work and community

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WHILE I ended up studying law, when I was a kid I always said I would become prime minister -— people remind me about that today.

I considered a political career, but there wasn’t enough money in it and the future was too uncertain -— not a great option when you are married with kids. I have always enjoyed the law, so that was where I headed.

My schooling commenced at Deepdene Primary School and North Balwyn Primary School, before moving to Mount Scopus Memorial College in grade 4. I matriculated at Scopus in 1969.

I studied for my law degree at The University of Melbourne (1970-73), before becoming an articled clerk for Maurice Komesaroff, which was good because Maurice was the doyen of property law. My earliest role model was my father. He was a very strong but fair man. I recall standing outside his old factory a few years ago when a former employee saw us, gave Dad a hug and kiss, and said, “Mr Lipshutz, you were fantastic to work for. You helped us so much.”

Dad came here with nothing and built a successful business. He instilled in us a love for Judaism and the community.

I have also been influenced by my previous business partners Ernie Woolf and Peter Cohen. I joined them with Marvin Weinberg at Cohen Woolf & Weinberg as a partner, and we were together for more than 10 years until 2007. It was a really happy partnership because we were friends. That’s important because you spend more time with your partners than your family.

This was a high priority for us when we were looking for a partnership and something I found again with my move to Peter Berry & Associates in November 2007.

Another great influence in my life was Paul Forgasz. I was a first-year student at university when Paul became president of Melbourne University Jewish Students Society (MUJSS) and for no apparent reason asked me to be his activity officer. I became heavily involved in MUJSS and when Paul departed to become president of the Victorian University Jewish Students Society, I became the president of MUJSS.

That led to involvement with what was then Victorian Jewish Board of Deputies and the State Zionist Council (SZC). Through SZC I met Mark Leibler, who is a doyen of Jewish community activity. The hours he contributes is astonishing. Seeing what he has achieved has been a fantastic influence on me and what I want to do.

I was on the SZC executive for 10 years and in conjunction with the late Helen Glaser, set up a speakers bureau that I am very proud is still in existence today. We visited schools, services clubs or where ever we were invited and talked about Israel, debating Arab activists -— something that helped achieve my political aspirations.

After a 20-year break from community work while building a career and starting a family, I was invited by Sam Parasol to join Maccabi Victoria board, a position I held for three years. Education officer for the Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) and then president followed, before I became an officeholder of SZC -— a position I hold today.

I am organisational chairman of the Zionist Federation of Australia and for a period was chairman of the B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission. During that time I was involved in the court case against Holocaust denier David Irving.

The Underground Film Festival were going to show his film and have a live interview with him. We took the view that it was anti-Semitic and must be stopped. I commenced legal action at VCAT with Sam Titaka and Mark Dreyfus. We ultimately lost the case, but the film was not shown as the owner of the theatre wouldn’t allow it. It was a moral victory.

The live Irving interview didn’t take place either, and even though we copped flack for sticking our necks out, my view is that you must confront any form of anti-Semitism where ever you find it.

I am now also in my fourth year as councillor with the City of Glen Eira -— a fascinating position as there are 20,000 or more Jews in the City of Glen Eira who need a voice. My work as a matrimonial lawyer is interesting but stressful, so one way I relax is through football with my sons, although being keen Melbourne supporters, that is difficult at times.

My advice to young lawyers starting out today is that they need to know where they are going, be grounded and have a passion for it. If you are simply doing law because you require an income stream, then you are bound to fail.

Interviewed by Norman Same

CV HIGHLIGHTS

1969: Matriculated from Mount Scopus Memorial College.

1971: President of Melbourne University Jewish Students Society.

1998-2001: Maccabi Victoria board member.

2001-03: Education officer of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria.

2003-05: President of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria.

2005-today: State Zionist Council officeholder.

2006-08: Chairman of B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission.

2005-today: City of Glen Eira Councillor.