Chester Porter

{{Infobox person | name = Chester Porter | image = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date|1926|03|15|df=y}} | birth_place = | death_date = {{death date and age|2021|3|15|1926|3|15|df=y}} | death_place = | burial_place = | alma_mater = University of Sydney | occupation = Barrister | title = Queen's Counsel (QC) | partner = Jean Featherstone, | children = Dorothy Porter; Mary Porter; Josie McSkimming | parents = Coralie & Frederick Porter | relatives = }}

'''Chester Alexander Porter''' QC (15 March 1926 – 15 March 2021) was a prominent Australian barrister.

== Early life == Chester's father was Frederick Porter. His mother Coralie was born into a Jewish family but later converted to Christianity. When asked about his faith he at times referred to himself as a 'Christian Jew'.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-217475479/listen|title=Chester Porter interviewed by John Farquharson in the Law in Australian society oral history project... [nla.obj-217475479] {{!}} Digital Collection - National Library of Australia|website=nla.gov.au|access-date=2018-01-18}}</ref> Porter began high school at Barker College before going on to win a scholarship to Shore and finishing his high schooling there. While at Shore, Porter was captain of the debating team. He later graduated in law at the University of Sydney.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}

While a law student, Porter purportedly witnessed his friend Frank McAlary dance for a cameraman after the announcement of the end of the Second World War. He has long since publicly supported the theory that McAlary was the Dancing Man.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Theyve-minted-the-dancing-man-but-which-one-is-he/2004/12/07/1102182297816.html|title=Who is the dancing man? |website=www.smh.com.au|language=en|access-date=2018-01-21}}</ref>

He was admitted to the Bar in 1948, aged 21, the youngest person ever admitted to the bar at the time, and subsequently the second youngest, in history, after Norman Jenkyn who was a few months younger.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nswbar.asn.au/the-bar-association/oral-history#/chesterPorter/transcript/4|title=Oral history project {{!}} NSW Bar Association|website=www.nswbar.asn.au|language=en|access-date=2018-01-20}}</ref>

== Legal career == Porer was notable for his participation in the ''Voyager'' and Chamberlain Royal Commissions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2007/08/16/2007088.htm|title=Chester Porter QC and Professor Neil Rees|date=2007-08-16|website=www.abc.net.au|language=en-AU|access-date=2018-01-18}}</ref> He defended notorious crooked police officer Roger Rogerson, on bribery charges against fellow police officer Michael Drury.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/09/12/1063341766702.html|title=Walking on water|work=The Sydney Morning Herlad|access-date=2018-01-18}}</ref> He was portrayed by John Hargreaves in the miniseries ''Blue Murder'', about the trial of Roger Rogerson.<ref>{{Citation|title=Blue Murder|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112538/|others=Richard Roxburgh, Tony Martin, Steve Bastoni|accessdate=2018-01-20}}</ref> His defence of Judge John Foord was considered so miraculous that the headline "Chester Porter walks on water" was used in a newspaper.<ref>Conversation with Richard Fidler - Podcast http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2007/09/14/2033218.htm</ref>

Porter was nicknamed the 'smiling funnel web' because of his charm, great politeness and his forensic questioning. He advocated at the Bar for 52 years, joining in 1948, and becoming a Queen's Counsel in 1974.

Porter urged improvement in forensic science as a result of his legal work and the Chamberlain Royal Commission. His efforts and those of others resulted in the National Institute of Forensic Science.

When he retired from the Bar in 2000 the Bar Council of New South Wales appointed him an Honorary Life Member for his exceptional service to the law.<ref>Chester Porter, Justinian, On the Couch, 7 September 2007 http://justinianarchive.com/1055-article</ref>

Porter was interviewed for the New South Wales Bar Association Oral History project.<ref>Bar Association Oral History - Chester Porter https://www.nswbar.asn.au/the-bar-association/oral-history#/chesterPorter</ref>

== Writing == After retirement, Porter became an author. His books are: * ''Walking on Water: A Life in the Law'', Random House Australia, 2004 * ''The Gentle Art of Persuasion: How to Argue Effectively,'' Random House, 2005 * ''The Conviction of the Innocent: How the Law Can Let Us down'', Random House, 2007<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.penguin.com.au/authors/chester-porter|title=Chester Porter|access-date=2018-01-18|language=en}}</ref>

Porter also wrote some articles for ''Bar News''.<ref>Bar News, Summer 2013-14, P74</ref><ref>Rodney Parker QC (1936-2007), Bar News, Summer 2007 - 2008, P77</ref>

== Personal life == Chester married chemistry teacher Jean Featherstone. They had three daughters, the poet Dorothy Porter,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2008/dec/16/obituary-dorothy-porter-poetry-books|title=Obituary: Dorothy Porter|last=Johnson|first=Susan|date=2008-12-16|website=the Guardian|access-date=2018-01-18}}</ref> Mary Porter, a veterinarian, and Josie McSkimming, a social worker and academic.

=== Membership === Porter was a member of: * Liberal Party of New South Wales until the late 1960s; * New South Wales Dickens Society; Jean and Chester were founding members of the NSW Dickens Society and were awarded the Percy Fitzgerald Award on 25 October 2016 for their support of the society since its founding in October 2002.<ref>NSW Dickens Society https://dickenssydney.com/2016/10/25/jean-chester-porter-qc-awarded-the-percy-fitzgerald-award/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180206131740/https://dickenssydney.com/2016/10/25/jean-chester-porter-qc-awarded-the-percy-fitzgerald-award/ |date=2018-02-06 }}</ref> * Rostrum; Porter joined Rostrum shortly after going to the bar when there weren't many Rostrum clubs in Australia. In his book ''The Gentle Art of Persuasion'' he attributes his improved speaking skills to Rostrum and said that becoming a "Critic in Rostrum one learns a great deal".<ref>The Gentle Art of Persuasion - How to argue effectively, p XV</ref>

Porter won Rostrum NSW "Speaker of the Year" in the 1986 competition.

== Later years == Porter retired from the law in the year 2000.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Patty|first=Anna|date=17 March 2021|title=The Sydney Morning Herald - After a career 'walking on water', eminent barrister Porter dies|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/after-a-career-walking-on-water-eminent-barrister-porter-dies-20210317-p57bku.html|url-status=live|access-date=19 August 2021|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210317061835/https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/after-a-career-walking-on-water-eminent-barrister-porter-dies-20210317-p57bku.html |archive-date=2021-03-17 }}</ref> He then published his three books on his life and the law.

He died on Monday 17 March 2021 aged 95.H<ref>[https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/after-a-career-walking-on-water-eminent-barrister-porter-dies-20210317-p57bku.html Sydney Morning Herald]. Retrieved 18 March 2021</ref> He was survived by his wife, Jean, and two daughters, Mary Davis and Dr Josie McSkimming.<ref name=":1" />

== References == {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{cite web|title=National Institute of Forensic Science |url=http://www.anzpaa.org.au/forensic-science/forensic-sciences}} * {{cite web|title=Rostrum Australia |url=https://www.rostrum.com.au}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Porter, Chester}} Category:Australian barristers Category:Australian people of Jewish descent Category:Australian King's Counsel Category:People educated at Barker College Category:People educated at Sydney Church of England Grammar School Category:University of Sydney alumni Category:Lawyers from Sydney Category:1926 births Category:2021 deaths Category:Australian non-fiction writers