The finalists represent the leading partners in their field and were selected by Lawyers Weekly from an overwhelming number of nominations.

High-profile judges will select the winners, including Law Council of Australia past-president Duncan McConnel, Supreme Court of NSW and Court of Appeal president Justice Margaret Beazley AO and NSW Crown Solicitor Lea Armstrong.

Winners will be announced at a black-tie gala on 28 April at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth – tickets on sale now.

Full list of finalists

Category: Banking and Finance

Sonia Goumenis, partner, Clayton Utz
Berkeley Cox, managing partner, King & Wood Mallesons
Nick Humphrey, partner, K&L Gates (formerly of Sparke Helmore)
Michelle Segaert, partner, Squire Patton Boggs
Sonia Apikian, partner, Gadens
Astrid Raetze, partner, Baker & McKenzie
Ian Paterson, partner, King & Wood Mallesons
James Darcy, partner, Allens

Category: Commercial

Caroline Hutchinson, principal and team leader, Coleman Greig Lawyers
Cheng Lim, partner, King & Wood Mallesons
David Kelly, founder/director, Kelly Hazell Quill Lawyers
Dr Martyn Taylor, partner, Norton Rose Fulbright
Jo Daniels, partner, Baker & McKenzie
Peter Jolly, deputy chairman of partners, Thynne + Macartney
Luckbir Singh, partner, MacDonnells Law
Mark Love, partner/legal director, Bradley Allen Love Lawyers
Mittu Gopalan, partner, Freedman and Gopalan
Stuart Byrne, partner, Clayton Utz

Category: Competition, Trade and Regulation

Alice Muhlebach, partner, Ashurst
Caroline Coops, partner, King & Wood Mallesons
Dr Martyn Taylor, partner, Norton Rose Fulbright
Fiona Crosbie, partner, Allens
Luke Woodward, partner, Gilbert + Tobin
Sharon Henrick, partner, King & Wood Mallesons

Category: Construction and Infrastructure

Amanda Davidson, partner, Holman Fenwick Willan
Chris Mitchell, partner, King & Wood Mallesons
Emanuel Confos, partner, Norton Rose Fulbright Australia
Emma Warren, partner, Allens
Mark Upfold, partner, King & Wood Mallesons
Maysaa Parrino, partner, Colin Biggers & Paisley
Sandra Steele, partner, K&L Gates
Victor Daminato, managing partner, Crawford Legal

Category: Dispute Resolution and Litigation

Belinda Thompson, partner, Allens
Bronwyn Lincoln, partner, Herbert Smith Freehills
Caroline Hutchinson, principal and team leader, Coleman Greig Lawyers
Colleen Platford, partner, Gilbert + Tobin
Dr Ashley Tsacalos, partner, Clayton Utz
Elizabeth Macknay, partner, Herbert Smith Freehills
Frances Williams, partner, Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Jason Betts, partner, Herbert Smith Freehills
John Dalzell, partner, Gadens
Robert Ishak, principal, William Roberts Lawyers
Genevieve Collins, partner, Landers & Rogers
Andrew Lacey, principal, McCabes Lawyers

Category: Family Law

Anne-Marie Rice, director, Rice Naughton Family Law
Brett Hartley, director, Hartley Healy
David Barry, legal practitioner director, Gordon & Barry Lawyers
Kara Best, director, Best Wilson Buckley Family Law
Mark Parker, partner, Lander & Rogers
Vicki Jackson, senior partner, South Geldard Lawyers

Category: Financial Services

Amber Warren, partner, Gadens
Claire Wivell Plater, managing director, The Fold Legal
Harry New, partner, Hall & Wilcox
Michael Vrisakis, partner, Herbert Smith Freehills
Michelle Levy, partner, Allens
Michelle Segaert, partner, Squire Patton Boggs
Scott Farrell, partner, King & Wood Mallesons
Yuen-Yee Cho, partner, King & Wood Mallesons

Category: Government

Eleanor Scott, partner and practice group leader, MacDonnells Law
Geoff Adams, partner, Meyer Vandenberg Lawyers
Jennifer Humphris, partner, MacDonnells Law
Stephen Jaggers, partner, King & Wood Mallesons

Category: Health

Alison Choy Flannigan, partner, Holman Webb
Dr Teresa Nicoletti, partner, Piper Alderman
Jacinda de Witts, principal, Hive Legal
Michael Gorton, principal, Russell Kennedy Lawyers
Rob McInnes, partner, DibbsBarker
Sabine Cornelia Phillips, partner, Gadens

Category: Insolvency

Amanda Banton, partner, Squire Patton Boggs
David Cowling, partner, King & Wood Mallesons
Joseph Scarcella, partner, Ashurst
Peter Hegarty, partner, Thomson Geer
Scott Atkins, partner, Henry Davis York
Tony Troiani, partner, King & Wood Mallesons

Category: Insurance

John Van de Poll, national insurance partner, Holman Webb
Jon Hunt, partner, Lander & Rogers
Katherine Ruschen, partner, Mills Oakley
Katherine Toshack, principal, McInnes Wilson Lawyers NSW
Kelli Stallard, partner, DibbsBarker
Kerri Thomas, partner, Sparke Helmore
Matt McDonald, partner, Hall & Wilcox
Paul Hopkins, senior partner, Carter Newell Lawyers
Stuart Windybank, principal, McCabes Lawyers
Travis Toemoe, partner, King & Wood Mallesons

Category: Intellectual Property

Anita Cade, partner, Ashurst
Gary Cox, chairman, Wrays
Katrina Rathie, partner, King & Wood Mallesons
Lisa Ritson, partner, Ashurst
Melissa McGrath, partner, DibbsBarker
Ross McFarlane, partner, Phillips Ormonde Fitzpatrick
Scott Bouvier, partner, King & Wood Mallesons
Shannon Platt, head of national corporate group, Sparke Helmore

Category: M&A

Ben McLaughlin, partner, Baker & McKenzie
Elspeth Arnold, partner, Ashurst
Kylie Lane, partner, Ashurst
Neil Pathak, partner, Gilbert + Tobin
Peter Stirling, partner, King & Wood Mallesons
Philippa Stone, partner, Herbert Smith Freehills
Phillip Roberts, partner, O'Loughlins Lawyers
Rebecca Maslen-Stannage, partner, Herbert Smith Freehills
Rory Moriarty, partner, Clayton Utz
Wendy Rae, partner, Allens

Category: Migration

Alison Ryan, senior solicitor, RACS
David Prince, legal practitioner director, Kinslor Prince Lawyers
Josh Chan, chief executive officer, SHS LAW
Rita Chowdhury, partner, Withers SBL

Category: Planning and Environment

Alan Bradbury, director of environment and planning, Bradley Allen Love
Carolyn Salam, partner, Minter Ellison
Mark Baker-Jones, partner, DibbsBarker
Stan Kondilios, partner, Hall & Wilcox

Category: Pro Bono

Brooke Massender, head of pro bono and citizenship, Australia and Asia, Herbert Smith Freehills
Heather Watson, partner, McCullough Robertson
Heidi Nash-Smith, partner, Wotton + Kearney
Kathryn Booth, principal, Maurice Blackburn Lawyers
Michael Anglin, partner, Salvos Legal Humanitarian
Rebecca Gilsenan, principal, Maurice Blackburn Lawyers

Category: Projects, Energy and Resources

Craig Rogers, partner, King & Wood Mallesons
Jenni Hill, partner, Clifford Chance
Tanya Denning, partner, Ashurst
Tony Denholder, partner, Ashurst

Category: Real Estate

Carl Black, partner, Squire Patton Boggs
David Sinn, real estate group head, Asia Pacific, Herbert Smith Freehills
John Wells, partner, Lander & Rogers
Kristan Conlon, partner, McCullough Robertson
Mark Khoo, partner, Salvos Legal
Natalie Bannister, partner, Hall & Wilcox
Nikki Robinson, national practice group leader, Clayton Utz
Robert Speirs, partner, Speirs Ryan
Stuart Dixon-Smith, partner, King & Wood Mallesons
Tim L'Orange, partner, Mills Oakley

Category: Taxation

Fletch Heinemann, partner, Cooper Grace Ward Lawyers
Martin Fry, partner, Allens
Michael Clough, partner, King & Wood Mallesons
Tony Frost, managing director, Greenwoods & Herbert Smith Freehills

Category: Technology, Media and Communications

Amanda Ludlow, partner, Ashurst
Cameron Whittfield, partner, Gilbert + Tobin
Cheng Lim, partner, King & Wood Mallesons
Dr Martyn Taylor, partner/head of telecoms group, Norton Rose Fulbright
Matthew McMillan, partner, Henry Davis York
Niranjan Arasaratnam, practice group leader corporate, Allens
Richard Horton, partner, Squire Patton Boggs
Sophie Dawson, partner, Ashurst

Category: Workplace Relations

Alice DeBoos, partner, K&L Gates
Alison Baker, partner, Hall & Wilcox
Carlie Holt, partner, Sparke Helmore
Carly Stebbing, partner, National Workplace Lawyers
Harold Downes, partner, Herbert Smith Freehills
Helen McKenzie, partner, Ashurst
Jennifer Wyborn, partner, Clayton Utz
John Wilson, managing director – employment and industrial relations, Bradley Allen Love
Sally Woodward, partner, Norton Rose Fulbright
Anthony Longland, partner, Herbert Smith Freehills