Pamela Burton founded her own law firm in Canberra in 1976 and later practised as a barrister at the Canberra Bar. Her various appointments have included Senior Member, Commonwealth Administrative Appeals Tribunal, Chair of the Social Security Appeals Tribunal, member of the ACT Parole Board, ACT Mental Health Official Visitor. She is the author of the unauthorised biography of High Court Justice Mary Gaudron, From Moree to Mabo (2010).