Federal Attorney-General Robert McClelland was again named as the most powerful individual in the legal field, followed by Chief Justice Robert French, ASIC chairman Tony D'Aloisio, Milliner, and Victorian Attorney-General Rob Hulls.

French, D'Aloisio and Milliner were new entrants on the list, which is now in its tenth year, replacing High Court Justice William Gummow, New South Wales Chief Justice Jim Spigelman, and Australian Competition & Consumer Commission chairman Graeme Samuel, who were all featured last year.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd led the field in the area of overt power, politics, defence and foreign affairs, while two non-human entrants also made the cut, with Twitter and the climate change debate listed in the cultural power category.