Major law firm Cornwalls is partnering with Lawyers Weekly to acknowledge and applaud women who are influencing and leading the legal profession, by sponsoring the Flos Greig Trailblazer Award, which celebrates the first woman to be admitted to legal practice in Australia.
Grata Flos Matilda Greig, known as Flos Greig, was the first woman to be admitted to practise law in Australia. After completing her articles of clerkship with Frank Cornwall in Melbourne in 1905, she continued her legal career with Cornwalls.
Today, the firm – which operates in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane – honours her through its FLOS program, which it says “celebrates the firm’s long and proud history of supporting women in their quest for gender equality in the legal profession, paying historical homage to the humble beginnings of alumni Flos Greig”.
She left, the firm notes on its website, “an indelible mark on Cornwalls for the generations of lawyers who follow her through the doors of our firm”.
“Flos lives on in our culture, with the firm continuing her work as a leading innovator in the legal sector,” it said.
The firm has now taken this celebration of Australia’s first admitted female practitioner to Lawyers Weekly’s Women in Law Awards, sponsoring the Flos Greig Trailblazer Award at the 2025 instalment of the event.
Submissions for the Women in Law Awards are now open.
In conversation with Lawyers Weekly, three of the firm’s FLOS committee members – executive chairman Glenn Hughes, partner Sarah Bullock, and associate Adrian Lo Monaco – discussed the importance of honouring Flos Greig’s memory and the ongoing need to progress gender equality in the legal profession.
“Flos Greig had to overcome extreme adversity. Her determination and resilience to pioneer a path for women to practice law in Australia, at a time when women were not allowed to be legal practitioners, is a story to be honoured,” Bullock said.
“It reminds us that progress is only possible when someone is willing to lead the way – as the saying goes, ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’. She became a role model for other women to enter the profession, and her legacy continues to inspire new generations of lawyers to push for inclusion and equity. She lives on in the culture of our firm, and we want everyone in the industry to know who she is.”
“Flos Greig’s story shows the value of perseverance in the face of systemic obstacles. It highlights that innovation and progress often come from challenging established norms,” Lo Monaco said in support.
“I think all lawyers can take inspiration from her to pursue change. To see how far the industry has come and knowing that there is always scope for further growth and development, it also acts as a point of reflection, given how relatively recent this was in our country’s history,” he said.
The social climate, Lo Monaco continued, is ever evolving, and will not stop evolving.
“While progress has been made, gender equality in law still requires action and accountability. Firms must continue to create pathways for women to thrive at every level, from graduate roles to leadership,” he said.
“It is important to continue advocating for gender equality as well as acknowledging and recognising more visibly, people whose identities intersect with this aspect of equality. Building on Flos Greig’s legacy means ensuring the next generation faces fewer barriers than the last.”
When asked what men in the legal profession can learn from the hurdles that women have to overcome, and have had to overcome, Hughes remarked that, by definition, “trailblazer is a pioneer, an innovator; a person who creates new paths to success”.
“I think an interesting part of Flos Greg’s story is the role that Frank Cornwall played. Frank would have been quite the trailblazer in 1905 when he announced to his colleagues (all men) that he had hired a woman. I would like to think that his actions showed other men that the status quo wasn’t the only path and helped encourage change,” he said.
“Trailblazing women help men to see a different perspective in not only their own life but also their approach to workplace dynamics. Men can continue to gain a deeper understanding of the barriers that have historically limited women’s participation in law and, like Frank Cornwall, do what they can to break down those barriers. True progress relies on everyone contributing to cultural and structural change.”
Looking ahead, Bullock concluded, partnering with Lawyers Weekly “allows us to celebrate trailblazers on a national platform and spark broader conversations about equality in law, while honouring our alumna, Flos Grieg”.
“The reach and reputation of the Trailblazer of the Year Award will ensure these stories resonate across our profession. It’s an opportunity to champion progress while recognising those leading it today,” she said.
