2026 Winners & Finalists

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Academic of the Year

Sean Brennan, UNSW Law & Justice
James Glissan, Glissan & Associates Lawyers
Doron Goldbarsht, Macquarie Law School
Chun-Chi (Michael) Hung, UNSW Law & Justice
Kathy Reeves, University of Southern Queensland
Leon Terrill, University of New South Wales
Paula Zito, Adelaide University

Barrister of the Year

Paul Folino-Gallo, Third Floor Wentworth Chambers
Sharon Kermath, Victorian Bar
Darren Mort, Victorian Bar
Amanda Pearson, Victorian Bar
Francois Salama, 13th Floor St James Hall

Dealmaker of the Year

Con Boulougouris, MinterEllison
Tony Damian, Ashurst
Jane Garber-Rosenzweig, Gable Lawyers
Shaun Hardcastle, Hamilton Locke
Kate Jefferson, Baker McKenzie
Adam Jeffrey, Lander & Rogers
Sandy Mak, Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Rory Moriarty, Clayton Utz
James Rozsa, Johnson Winter Slattery
Philippa Stone, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer

General Counsel of the Year

Emily Ackland, National Storage
Stephanie-Kate Bratton, AgriFutures Australia
Rachel Launders, Nine Entertainment Co
Peter Le, City of Swan
Samantha Lennox, Cancer Council Queensland
Christopher Miers, National Heart Foundation of Australia
Vanessa Nakhl, Riverstone Partners
Katrin O’Sullivan, The Fred Hollows Foundation
Kate Sherburn, Who Gives A Crap
Emma Wolfenden, Varley Group

Government Lawyer of the Year

Loretta Houlahan, SPA Australia
Clare Jones, Victorian Government Solicitor’s Office
Ming Li, Australian Transport Safety Bureau
Gavan Mackenzie, Maddocks
Rupert Su, NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

In-House Lawyer of the Year

Ricardo Basetti, Teachers Mutual Bank
Simon Burnett, Westpac Banking Corporation
Candice Colman, Alinta Energy
Sam Gillis, Gold Fields
Charlotte Hollindale, Telstra
Theresa Jennings, Cancer Council Queensland
Greta Koshy, Jemena
Sarah Lang, St Vincent’s Hospital (Melbourne)
Taylor Murphy, EssilorLuxottica
Rupert Su, NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

Indigenous Leader of the Year

Samantha Alexander, ALS
Duane Keighran, Keighran Legal + Advisory

Innovator of the Year (Individual)

Mona Chiha, JurisTechne
Mark Machaalani, Unified Lawyers
Maureen Migliazzo, Dentons
Sapphire Parsons, Macpherson Kelley
Daniel Rod, Chamberlains Law Firm
Renee Roumanos, Renee Roumanos Legal
Caryn Sandler, Gilbert + Tobin
Anna Shaw, Hunt & Hunt Lawyers
Mick Sheehy, PwC
Jocelyn Sutjipto, Clayton Utz

Law Student of the Year

Alison Cook, ANU
Lauren Devine, The Family Law Co.
Chéryl Garreau, DSA Law
Joshua Georges, Bartier Perry
Tiarna Hall, Maurice Blackburn Lawyers
Isabelle Perry, Henry Carus + Associates
Renee Puno, Evolve Legal
Deb Russell, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and University of New England
Raahat Shaik, University of New South Wales
Shani Toye, Shine Lawyers

Legal Operations or Support Professional of the Year

Jenny Binetter, Weinberger Lawyers
Siobhan Bruce, Coleman Greig Lawyers
Belinda Carlesso, BDC Law
Jordan Collier, Emma Turnbull Lawyers
Julie Cook, Lewis Family Lawyers
Holly Gilholme, Attwood Marshall Lawyers
Kaitlyn Leamy, Slater and Gordon Lawyers
Chrissie McCann, Bartier Perry
Tish Mios, Jones-Hope Legal and Advisory
Ana Maria Oreskovic, Umbrella Family Law

Litigator of the Year

Luke Buchanan, Buchanan Rees Dispute Lawyers
Joshua Dale, Carroll & O’Dea Lawyers
Christopher Fahmy, GopherWood Lawyers
Sach Fernando, Maxiom Injury Lawyers
John Duc Ho, State Law Group
Sophie Inwood, AJ & Co Lawyers
Patrick Mead, Carter Newell
Nicholas Stewart, Dowson Turco Lawyers
Shaun Temby, Maddocks
Samuel Warming, Warmings Compensation Lawyers

Managing Partner of the Year

Fadiya Ali, Ali Family Lawyers
Mengpei Gao, Ascent Lawyers
Jane Garber-Rosenzweig, Gable Lawyers
Krish Gosai, Gosai Law
Michael Harmer, Harmers Workplace Lawyers
Andrew Henshaw, Velocity Legal
Chanel Martin, Resolve
Victoria-Jane Otavski, BlackBay Lawyers
Danielle Snell, Elit Lawyers by McGirr & Snell
Perry Wood, Australian Migration Lawyers

Mediator/Arbitrator of the Year

Michel Esnault, Consensus Mediation
Amrit Kaur, Clear Conflict Resolution
Anne Purcell, Resolution Partners
Jay Tseng, Enyo Lawyers

Mentor of the Year

Lynda Babister, Transitus Legal
Donna Bartlett, Deloitte Australia
Dalvin Chien, Mills Oakley
Carla Giles, The Family Law Co.
Tiffany Marsh, Slater and Gordon Lawyers
Amy Nason, Telstra
Michael Seton, Seton Family Lawyers
Lauren Solomonson, Coulter Legal
Lisa To, Bartier Perry
Ashlee Wachtel, Resolve

Partner of the Year

Matt Baumgurtel, Hamilton Locke
John Brewster, Ashurst
Janine Gregory, Maurice Blackburn
Samy Mansour, Clayton Utz
Rebecca Maslen-Stannage, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
Tina Nematian, One Planet Migration Law
Blake Shaw, Ironbridge Legal
Caroline Snow, Dentons
Philippa Stone, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
Michael Ziegelaar, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer

Property Lawyer of the Year

Zohra Ali, Corporate Legal
Suzanne Azzi, Lexmerca Lawyers
Constance Bouras, WRP Legal
Marcus Carbone, MTK Lawyers
Clare Jones, Victorian Government Solicitor’s Office
Jin Seop Jung, JSP Legal
Stephanie Martyn, Southern Waters Legal
Julie Maxfield, Aitken Partners
David Nematalla, DBN Lennox Lawyers
Nathan Weinberger, Weinberger Lawyers

Regional/Suburban Lawyer of the Year

Leona Bennett, Southern Waters Legal
Raquel Bond, Thynne + Macartney
Georgia Carroll, Jacaranda Legal
Carla Giles, The Family Law Co.
Monika Hermann, Eliza Legal
Chun-Chi (Michael) Hung, ClearSky Legal
Alana Jacquet, Our Lawyers
Samantha Lewis, Lewis Family Lawyers
Liam Loader, Conditsis Lawyers
Holly Lynch, Rafton Family Lawyers

Rising Star of the Year (In-House)

Briahna Connolly, Queensland Corrective Services
Benjamin Gray, EML Group
Dajana Jefic, Transdev Australasia
Amogh Kadhe, Davidson
Jasmine Wang, Oceana Funds
Alice Wang, Samsung Electronics Australia
Grace Welsby, The a2 Milk Company Limited
Vikki (Weijia) Zhang, Findex

Rising Star of the Year (Private Practice)

Samantha Alexander, ALS
Bree Campbell, Justice Family Lawyers
Alexandra Cowden, Holding Redlich
Struan Jansen, Henry Carus + Associates
Lauren Kavanagh, Jewell Hancock Employment Lawyers
Rosa Lindon, DBH Lawyers
Emma Nettelbeck, McInnes Wilson Lawyers
Nicol Petkovic, Law Partners
Mikhail Safarudin, K&L Gates
Giorgia Wilson, Evans & Wislang

Senior Associate of the Year

Jessie Allen, Pinsent Masons
Claudia Brennan, Adero Law
Betty Chen, Thomson Geer
Tiara Dalpadado, Crossover Law Group
Heather Ruramayi Dzviti, Nevett Ford Lawyers
Katherine Higgins, Law Squared
Kamille Deanne Lagasca-Mahig, Maison Chen Law Group
Laura Martin, Norton Rose Fulbright
Bonnie Paton, Ashurst
Sarvashree Singh, Mullins Lawyers

Sole Practitioner of the Year

Sepi Agahi, Agahi Lawyers
Marija Caruana-Smith, Altura Legal
Tanja Djokic, TD Migration Consulting
Amanda Harrington, Pivotal Law Group
Chun-Chi (Michael) Hung, ClearSky Legal
William McCullough, MCC Advisory
Louise Neilson, Neilson & Co Legal
Awash Prasad, NorthBridge Legal
Trish Ryan, Sydney Legal Consulting
Nour Salama, Salbridge Lawyers

Special Counsel of the Year

Ko Ko Aung, Albert Arthur Lawyers
Linda Huan, KHQ Lawyers
Angela Liaskos, HWLE Lawyers
Tracey Lynch, Johnson Legal
Tinashe Makamure, Barry Nilsson
Ole Mitrevski, Massons
Johan Pietersz, DLA Piper Australia
Suman Soni, AJ & Co Lawyers
Anika Valenti, Terri Janke and Company
Justin Vaughan, Colin Biggers & Paisley

Banking and Finance Team of the Year

Ashurst
Bartier Perry
Cornwalls
Dentons
DSA Law
Gadens Lawyers
Green Mortgage Lawyers
Hall & Wilcox
Jones Day
Lander & Rogers

Boutique Law Firm of the Year

Ascent Lawyers
BDC Law
BlackBay Lawyers
Buchanan Rees Dispute Lawyers
Elit Lawyers by McGirr & Snell
GPS Lawyers & Consultants
Lewis Family Lawyers
Ramsden Family Law
Seton Family Lawyers
Umbrella Family Law

Commercial Team of the Year

Bartier Perry
Bradley & Bray Lawyers
Cowell Clarke Commercial Lawyers
CXT Legal
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
Hive Legal
MTK Lawyers
New Chapter Legal
Quantum Law Group
Velocity Legal

Dispute Resolution and/or Litigation Team of the Year

Adero Law
Aptum Legal
Carter Newell
Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Elit Lawyers by McGirr & Snell
Ironbridge Legal
Maddocks
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers
NDA Law
Weinberger Lawyers

Government Team of the Year

Aldermane
City of Swan
EnergyCo NSW
Hall & Wilcox
Hive Legal
Maddocks
Muscat Tanzer
NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
SPA Australia
WorkSafe Victoria

In-House Team of the Year

Amazon Australia
Carnival UK
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Australia
McCain Foods (Aust)
NBN Co
Nine Entertainment Co
Samsung Electronics Australia
Teachers Mutual Bank
The Fred Hollows Foundation
Who Gives A Crap

Innovator of the Year (Company)

Australian Migration Lawyers
Faculti Lawyers
Helix Legal
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
Holding Redlich
Indonesian Community of Lawyers in Australia
INKD
Kate Redman & Associates
Level Playing Field Lawyers
Sprintlaw

Insurance Team of the Year

Barry Nilsson
Carter Newell
Cooper Grace Ward
Elit Lawyers by McGirr & Snell
Gilchrist Connell
Hall & Wilcox
Hicksons | Hunt & Hunt | Holman Webb
Moray & Agnew
William Roberts Lawyers

Law Firm of the Year

Ashurst
Clayton Utz
Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Dentons
Hall & Wilcox
Hamilton Locke
Keypoint Law
LegalVision
Maddocks
Sparke Helmore

Pro Bono Program of the Year

Albert Arthur Lawyers
Australian Migration Lawyers
Barry Nilsson
Hicksons | Hunt & Hunt | Holman Webb
Kinda Migration Lawyers (formerly WLW Migration Lawyers)
Moray & Agnew
Polaris Lawyers
Russell Kennedy
Southern Waters Legal
Wotton Kearney

Property Team of the Year

Auslaw Partners
Bond Property Lawyers
Brightstone Legal
CGW
KPA Lawyers
Massons
Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Quantum Law Group
Renee Roumanos Legal
Thornton + King

Regional/Suburban Law Firm of the Year

Argon Law
Conditsis Lawyers
Coulter Legal
Lewis Family Lawyers
MTK Lawyers
Muscat Tanzer
Next Legal & Conveyancing
Seacliff Family Law
Sharrock Pitman Legal
Thornton + King

Transaction Team of the Year

Ashurst
BDC Law
Cornwalls
Corrs Chambers Westgarth
CXT Legal
Gilbert + Tobin
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
Holding Redlich
Johnson Winter Slattery
Kain Lawyers

Workplace Relations and Employment Team of the Year

Ashurst
Carter Newell
Dentons
Fair Workplace Solutions
Harmers Workplace Lawyers
Jewell Hancock Employment Lawyers
Maddocks
Pinsent Masons
Wallmans Lawyers
Workdynamic Australia