Jessica Howley received the honour from Queensland Governor Penelope Wensley AO at a ceremony at Government House onTuesday last week.

Howley said in a statement that she would use the opportunity to promote the development of international law, and how it can be developed to be more effective.

She graduated from UQ in 2008 with first-class honours, before taking an associateship at the High Court of Australia. She will commence a graduate position with Mallesons Stephen Jaques, before heading off to the University of Oxford to study a Bachelor of Civil Law and Master of Philosophy in September 2010.

Nine Rhodes Scholarships are offered by the Rhodes Trust in Australia every year.

Lawyers who have recently been awarded a Rhodes Scholarship include Joanna Howe, Natasha Simonsen and Anna Kloeden.

Past Rhodes scholars have included former Prime Minister Bob Hawke, former US President Bill Clinton, American author Naomi Klein and Liberal Party leader Malcolm Turnbull.