2025 Winners and Finalists

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Academic of the Year

Neville Carter, College of Law
Chinelle Duvenhage, The University of Notre Dame Australia
Colin Hawes, Faculty of Law, University of Technology Sydney
Casey-Lee Hirst, University of NSW
Chun-Chi (Michael) Hung, UNSW Law & Justice
Nicola Kozlina, UNSW Sydney
Kathy Reeves, University of Southern Queensland
Paula Zito, University of South Australia

Barrister of the Year

Tahlia Ferrari, Victorian Bar
Tyneil Flaherty, Murray Chambers, Adelaide
Paul Folino-Gallo, Third Floor Wentworth Chambers
Zarah Garde-Wilson, Garde Wilson Lawyers
Winsome Hall, Alinea Chambers
Sharon Kermath, Victorian Bar
Darren Mort, Victorian Bar
Olla Otrebski, NSW Bar
Mary Rebehy, Lachlan Macquarie Chambers
Francois Salama, 13 St James Hall Chambers

Dealmaker of the Year

Matt Baumgurtel, Hamilton Locke
Jane Garber-Rosenzweig, BDC Law
Alex Kauye, Gilbert + Tobin
Kate Koidl, MinterEllison
Sandy Mak, Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Rebecca Maslen-Stannage, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
James Rozsa, Johnson Winter Slattery
David Ryan, DLA Piper
Eric Thianpiriya, Baker McKenzie
Michael Ziegelaar, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer

General Counsel of the Year

Andrew Bautovich, DWF Group
Stephanie-Kate Bratton, AgriFutures Australia
Sandra Costanzo, Symal Group
Candice Gin, The Adecco Group
Laura Hartmann, Grampians Health
Meighan Heard, Grays eCommerce Group
Kirish Kularajah, Macquarie Group
Katrin O’Sullivan, The Fred Hollows Foundation
Andrew Selim, HMC Capital
Kate Sherburn, Who Gives A Crap

Government Lawyer of the Year

Caroline Atkins, Maddocks
Riley Boughton, Australian Renewable Energy Agency
Laura Hay, Sydney Metro
Philip Jones-Hope, Jones-Hope Legal and Advisory
Jin Su Jung, Energy Corporation of NSW (EnergyCo)
Brenton Lam, Aldermane
Keith Redenbach, Redenbach Legal
Rupert Su, NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure
Amanda Wescombe, Norton Rose Fulbright

In-House Lawyer of the Year

Sydney Abba, ClearBridge Investments
Joshua Caeiro, Rio Tinto
Elizabeth Favaloro, NSW Department of Communities and Justice
Meighan Heard, Grays eCommerce Group
Bahar Ilic, CBRE APAC
Jin Su Jung, Energy Corporation of NSW (EnergyCo)
Sarah Lang, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne
Emma McCleave, Telstra
Liz McKinstry, Google Australia
Lachlan Royal, Coles Group

Indigenous Leader of the Year

Duane Keighran, Keighran Legal + Advisory
Trent Wallace, Ashurst
Kathleen Wincen, Aboriginal Family Legal Services Queensland

Innovator of the Year (Individual)

Michelle Bey, Lander & Rogers
David Burnton, Lawlux
Anthony Curtin, Merton Lawyers
Daniel Ghezelbash, UNSW Law & Justice
Matthew Karakoulakis, AMK Law
Emma Maxwell, Anchored Family Law
Amber O’Meara, MinterEllison
Sara Rayment, Inkling Legal Design
Caryn Sandler, Gilbert + Tobin
Danielle Zetzer, Respect Legal

Law Student of the Year

Rhea Baweja, University of NSW and Prezzee
Daniella Cosentino, Monash University / Arnold Bloch Leibler
Oliver Hammond, UNSW
Sai Muthukumar, University of Technology Sydney
Gianluca Pecora, Bird & Bird
Fotios Petrelis, Carroll and O’Dea Lawyers
Kyla Rivera, Allens / UNSW
Ziyan Tejani, Macquarie University
Jade Toomey, McInnes Wilson Lawyers
Lily Weaver, Slater & Gordon Lawyers

Legal Operations or Support Professional of the Year

Cassandra Allard, Henry Carus + Associates
Georgia Allen, Aldermane
Megan Carter, Shine Lawyers
Laura Jagger, Becketts Lawyers
Michele Kearns, Martin Place Chambers
Angela Kurtz, Ramsden Lawyers
Tim Markham, Adero Law
Ana Maria Oreskovic, Umbrella Family Law
Amber Rose Roebeck, Attwood Marshall Lawyers
Ariana Shehu, Dentons

Litigator of the Year

Jason Betts, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
Marcus Carbone, MTK Lawyers
Joshua Dale, Carroll and O’Dea Lawyers
Rory Markham, Adero Law
Patrick Mead, Carter Newell Lawyers
Richard Ryan, Maurice Blackburn
Danielle Snell, Elit Lawyers by McGirr & Snell
Sean Sweeney, Slater & Gordon Lawyers
Shaun Temby, Maddocks
Jay Tseng, Enyo Lawyers

Managing Partner of the Year

Ping Gangur, Level Playing Field Lawyers
Mengpei Gao, Ascent Lawyers
Michael Harmer, Harmers Workplace Lawyers
David Kearney, Wotton Kearney
Andrew Lacey, McCabes Lawyers
James Morgan-Payler, Pinsent Masons
Bill Papastergiadis OAM, Moray & Agnew
Michael Pickering, De Marco Lawyers
Eve Smith, Umbrella Family Law
Stipe Vuleta, Chamberlains Law Firm

Mediator/Arbitrator of the Year

Nicole Davidson, Nicole Davidson Negotiation
Michel Esnault, Consensus Mediation
Louise Henderson, The Norton Law Group
Anthony Lo Surdo SC, 8 Wentworth Chambers
Debra Parker, Parker Coles Curtis
Deidre Petrakis, Petrakis Mediation
Matthew Shepherd, Ramsden Family Law

Mentor of the Year

Lauren Blud, Ramsden Lawyers
John Brewster, Ashurst
Laina Chan, 2 Selborne Chambers
Dalvin Chien, Mills Oakley
Marissa Dimarco, Chamberlains Law Firm
Rebecca Hegarty, Bartier Perry
Luke McGowan, Denways Legal
Melissa Meyers, Maurice Blackburn
Michael Seton, Seton Family Lawyers
Lauren Solomonson, Coulter Legal

Partner of the Year

Blair Beven, XVII Degrees
Khilen Devani, K&L Gates
Jonathan Ikonomopoulos, DW Fox Tucker Lawyers
Dimi Ioannou, Maurice Blackburn
Binti Bala Prasad, Hunt and Hunt
Cathy Russo, Macpherson Kelley
Zefy Souvlakis, Ethos Migration Lawyers
Adele Wan, Wan & Co Lawyers
Trevor Withane, Ironbridge Legal
Judy Zhou, Northan Legal

Property Lawyer of the Year

Zohra Ali, Corporate Legal
Karena Balkwill, Gadens
Constance Bouras, WRP Legal
Marissa Dimarco, Chamberlains Law Firm
Huiming Lin, Auslaw Partners
Evelyn Marcou, MST Lawyers
Stephanie Martyn, Southern Waters Legal
Ole Mitrevski, Massons
Giancarlo Romano, Best Hooper Lawyers
Nathan Weinberger, Weinberger Lawyers

Regional/Suburban Lawyer of the Year

Justine Aubin, August & Claire Lawyers
Kylie Devney, VAJ Byrne & Co Lawyers
Alana Jacquet, Our Lawyers
Rebekah Lovely, Revolution Law
Sacha Mastras, The Family Law Co
Tanya Neilson, Guardian Injury Law
Michelle Oates, Connect Family Law
Sara Rayment, Inkling Legal Design
Michael Seton, Seton Family Lawyers
Ashleigh Wisbey, Seacliff Family Law

Rising Star of the Year (In-House)

Sagun Bakshi, Mastercard Asia/Pacific (Australia)
Jackson Cocks, Illawarra Retirement Trust
Briahna Connolly, Queensland Corrective Services
Dajana Jefic, Transdev Australasia
Callum Lowe-Griffiths, Entain Group
Preashni Pillay, Vialto Partners
Bronte Sellers, Energy Corporation of NSW (EnergyCo)
Starrie Shi, Suntory Oceania
Alice Wang, Samsung Electronics Australia
Bryson Ward, Grampians Health

Rising Star of the Year (Private Practice)

Nariman Ali, IDP Lawyers
Alexandra Cowden, Holding Redlich
Francis Caesar Devine, Conditsis Lawyers
John Duc Ho, State Law Group
Shelley Jones, Wylde Family Law
Joshua Kan, Norton Rose Fulbright
Brinley Meagher, HWL Ebsworth
Emma Nettelbeck, McInnes Wilson Lawyers
Aspen Roggeveen, Marino Law
Samantha Worth, Lander & Rogers

Senior Associate of the Year

Dino Beslagic, Henry Carus + Associates
Elizabeth Campbell, DLA Piper
Francis Caesar Devine, Conditsis Lawyers
Jake Erman-Keogh, Cornwalls
Sophie Evans, Mills Oakley
Kate Flanigan, Carroll and O’Dea Lawyers
Sonia Haidamous, SLF Lawyers
Tarang Immidi, Buchanan Rees Dispute Lawyers
Lisa Riley, HHG Legal Group
Nicholas Rossi, Marino Law

Sole Practitioner of the Year

Melissa Barlas, Conveyed
Tendayi Chivunga, Tee Legal Services NSW
Jessica Giampiccolo, JMLG Advisory
Chun-Chi (Michael) Hung, ClearSky Legal
Angela King, MainStreet Business Services
Emma Maxwell, Anchored Family Law
William McCullough, MCC Advisory
Emily Purvis, PURE Equine Law
Ismail Rasheed, IR Legal
Melanie Vairawanathan, Melmark Law

Special Counsel of the Year

Ko Ko Aung, Albert Arthur Lawyers
Kezia David, Hicksons Lawyers
Anthony Farinola, McInnes Wilson Lawyers
Erin Freebairn,  Commercial & Legal
Linda Huan, KHQ Lawyers
Rebekah Lovely, Revolution Law
Ellie McGrory, Gilchrist Connell
Catherine O’Keefe, Wotton Kearney
Marni Riley, Hamilton Locke
Amy Zhang, Harmers Workplace Lawyers

Banking and Finance Team of the Year

ClearBridge Investments
Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Green Mortgage Lawyers
Hall & Wilcox
Jones Day
Kalus Kenny Intelex
Lextech | Purcell Partners

Boutique Law Firm of the Year

Allied Legal
BlackBay Lawyers
Buchanan Rees Dispute Lawyers
Emma Turnbull Lawyers
Ethos Migration Lawyers
Gosai Law
Level Playing Field Lawyers
MPS Law
New Chapter Legal
XVII Degrees

Commercial Team of the Year

Bartier Perry
BDC Law
Cowell Clarke Commercial Lawyers
CXT Legal
DLA Piper
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
Hive Legal
Kalus Kenny Intelex
MTK Lawyers
New Chapter Legal

Dispute Resolution and/or Litigation Team of the Year

Adero Law
Barry Nilsson
Bartier Perry
Carter Newell Lawyers
Elit Lawyers by McGirr & Snell
Gilbert + Tobin
Ironbridge Legal
Maddocks
McInnes Wilson Lawyers
Polaris Lawyers

Government Team of the Year

Department of Communities and Justice
Department of Education
Gilbert + Tobin
Hall & Wilcox
Hive Legal
Maddocks
McInnes Wilson Lawyers
Ochre Legal
Proximity
Sparke Helmore

In-House Team of the Year

Accenture
Amazon Australia
Austal
EBOS Group
Energy Corporation of NSW (EnergyCo)
HMC Capital
Office of the General Counsel, Department of Government Services
Samsung Electronics Australia
Sydney Airport Corporation
Sydney Metro

Insurance Team of the Year

Advantage Legal
Barry Nilsson
Carter Newell Lawyers
Elit Lawyers by McGirr & Snell
Gilchrist Connell
Hall & Wilcox
Hicksons Lawyers
McInnes Wilson Lawyers
Moray & Agnew
William Roberts Lawyers

Law Firm of the Year

Australian Family Lawyers
Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Dentons
Hall & Wilcox
Hamilton Locke
HFW
Maddocks
Mills Oakley
Pinsent Masons
Sparke Helmore

Pro Bono Program of the Year

Acrolex
Australian Migration Lawyers
Barry Nilsson
Colin Biggers & Paisley
Gadens
Mills Oakley
Moray & Agnew
Norton Rose Fulbright
Southern Waters Legal
WLW Migration Lawyers

Property Team of the Year

Bond Property Lawyers
Clayton Utz
Commercial & Legal
Hamilton Locke
HTW Legal Group
Jones Lang LaSalle
Kalus Kenny Intelex
Massons
Sunstate Conveyancing
Thornton + King

Regional/Suburban Law Firm of the Year

Argon Law
August & Claire Lawyers
Bradley & Bray Lawyers
Conditsis Lawyers
Construct Law Group
Inkling Legal Design
Our Lawyers
Rise Legal
Seton Family Lawyers
Sharrock Pitman Legal

Transaction Team of the Year

Ashurst
BDC Law
Corrs Chambers Westgarth
CXT Legal
Gilbert + Tobin
Hamilton Locke
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer - ECM Team
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer - M&A Team
Johnson Winter Slattery
MinterEllison

Workplace Relations and Employment Team of the Year

Adero Law
Aitken Legal
Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors
Chamberlains Law Firm
Danny King Legal
Hall & Wilcox
Harmers Workplace Lawyers
Jewell Hancock Employment Lawyers
The Workplace
Workdynamic Australia