2019 Winners and Finalists

ACADEMIC OF THE YEAR

Caron Beaton-Wells, University of Melbourne

Francina Cantatore, Bond University
Caroline Hart, University of Southern Queensland
Vicki Huang, Deakin University
Nicki Mollard, Monash University
Kate Offer, University of Western Australia
Philippa Ryan, Australian National University, College of Law
Cassandra Seery, Deakin Law School
Sylvia Villios, University of Adelaide
Therese Wilson, Griffith Law School

BARRISTER OF THE YEAR

Kellie Edwards, Denman Chambers
Angela Hellewell, Barrister-at-Law
Sharon Kermath, Barrister
Fiona McLeod SC, Victorian Bar

Kathryn McMillan QC, Quay 11 Chambers/Hemmant’s List

Bridie Nolan, 12 Wentworth Selborne Chambers
Naomi Oreb, Banco Chambers

COMPANY SECRETARY/GOVERNANCE PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

Virginia Crawter, Main Sequence Ventures

Trisha Mok, Study Group
Catriona Wearn, RAC WA

DEALMAKER OF THE YEAR

Jacqueline Barrett, Hall & Wilcox

Rachael Bassil, Gilbert + Tobin

Angie Coleman, Springfield City Group
Madeleine de Garis, Ashurst
Karen Evans-Cullen, PricewaterhouseCoopers
Andrea Kennedy, Baker McKenzie
Lizzie Knight, Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Jee-Seon Lee, Johnson Winter & Slattery
Catherine Merity, Maddocks
Jackie Solakovski, Lander & Rogers

EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR

Theresa Armstrong, Madison Marcus Law Firm
Genevieve Collins, Lander & Rogers
Michelle Dixon, Maddocks
Danny King, Danny King Legal

Louise Massey, Dentons

Andrea Michaels, NDA Law
Kristen Podagiel, McCullough Robertson
Cassandra Pullos, Pullos Lawyers
Sandra Soden, Soden Legal and CoRelate
Carly Stebbing, Resolution123

GENERAL COUNSEL OF THE YEAR

Elizabeth Carroll, IP Australia
Angie Coleman, Springfield City Group
Kylee Creighton, Origin Energy
Lili Dent, PepsiCo ANZ
Megan Gallagher, Origin Energy
Jorden Lam, HESTA
Belinda Murray, BGC

Catriona McGregor, Domain Group

Annamarie Rooding, Tabcorp
Sarah Tinsley, Culture Amp

HR PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

Claire Arnold, Bird & Bird
Jenna Bain, Shine Lawyers
Louise Ferris, McCullough Robertson
Krista Marquardt, Dentons

Emily McCarthy, LOD

Carolyn Noumertzis, Slater and Gordon Lawyers
Davina Onas, KCL Law
Belinda Perisic, Coulter Roache

INDIGENOUS LAWYER OF THE YEAR

Candice Hughes, YFS Legal

Terri Janke, Terri Janke and Company
Thelma Schwartz, Queensland Indigenous Family Violence Legal Service (QIFVLS)

IN-HOUSE LAWYER OF THE YEAR

Katrina Close, Australian Government Solicitor

Jade Droguett, Woolworths Group

Kate Godhard, Augusta Ventures
Alana Heffernan, Electrical Trades Union
Erica Martin, eNett International
Trisha Mok, Study Group
Kiah Officer, Nine Entertainment Co
Susan Rose, AGL
Valerie Velasco, NetApp
Jo Zaharopoulos, Probe Group

INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR

Berys Amor, Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Carolyn Austin, K&L Gates
Myra Beal, Herbert Smith Freehills
Natasha Burns, Burns IP & Commercial
Laura Chipp, Victoria Police
Genevieve Collins, Lander & Rogers
Amanda Fajerman, LOD
Laura Keily, Immediation
Marianne Marchesi, Legalite

Caryn Sandler, Gilbert + Tobin

LAW STUDENT OF THE YEAR

Meika Atkins, Curtin University

Arhita Del Fierro, La Trobe University
Jodie Layzell, Griffith University
Amelia Loughland, UNSW
Emily McClelland, University of Queensland
Bridget Mullins, University of Queensland
Prisca Ochan, Australian National University
Sarah Palmer, Southern Cross University
Erin Ritchie, Deakin University
Khayshie Tilak Ramesh, La Trobe University Bendigo

LEGAL OPERATIONS PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

Minna Boyle, Sprintlaw
Belinda Carlesso, BlueRock Law
Denise Doyle, Telstra
Catherine Fricker, lawlab
Katrina Gowans, Origin Energy
Libby Jarvis, Herbert Smith Freehills
Caryn Sandler, Gilbert + Tobin

Petra Stirling, Westpac Group

Mollie Tregillis, MinterEllison
Colleen Weiler, Hicksons

LEGAL SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

Hayley Blyth, King & Wood Mallesons
Sarah Gleadhill, LOD
Julie Kojdovska, McDonald Murholme Solicitors
Debbie Lewis, National Heart Foundation of Australia
Phoebe MacDougall, Korn MacDougall Legal
Therese MacGregor, Kells Lawyers
Kimberley Mayne, McInnes Wilson Lawyers
Sara Morgan, Ramsden Lawyers

Tilly Stitt, Johnson Winter & Slattery

Louise Threadgold, Hall & Wilcox

MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

Sophie Aspley, Davis Hall & Wilcox
Sally King, Carroll & O’Dea Lawyers
Amanda Lacey, McCabe Curwood/POPCOM
Shayne Lopeman, Kells Lawyers
Niki Patterson, Adviceline Injury Lawyers
Dayna Roberts, Kain Lawyers

Merryn Stewart, Sparke Helmore Lawyers

Kathy Zmijewski, McDonald Murholme Solicitors

MENTOR OF THE YEAR

Angela Backhouse, Chamberlains Law Firm
Kate Hay, Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Eleanor Lau, Lander & Rogers

Sophie Manera, Rothstein Lawyers

Joanne Moss, Pizza Hut Australia
Joelene Nel, McLaughlins Lawyers
Sanushka Seomangal, Thomson Geer
Kelli Stallard, Hall & Wilcox
Kara Thomson, DWF
Juliana Warner, Herbert Smith Freehills

NOT-FOR-PROFIT LAWYER OF THE YEAR

Cheryl-Maree Bentley, Women’s Legal Service
Rikki-Jane Buckland, Gold Coast Community Legal Centre
Erica Contini, Victoria Legal Aid
Talya Faigenbaum, West Heidelberg Community Legal Service
Carly Hanson, Community Legal Centres Queensland
Olivia Lanchester, Australian Society of Authors
Joanna Lezanski, Relationships Australia (Qld)

Fatima Rauf, North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency

Thelma Schwartz, Queensland Indigenous Family Violence Legal Service (QIFVLS)
Kristen Watt, National Heart Foundation of Australia

PARTNER OF THE YEAR – BIGLAW

Belinda Breakspear, McCullough Robertson
Alison Choy Flannigan, Hall & Wilcox
Alex Grayson, Maurice Blackburn Lawyers
Ruveni Kelleher, Johnson Winter & Slattery

Stephanie Lambert, HFW

Sandy Mak, Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Amy Munro, King & Wood Mallesons
Colleen Platford, Gilbert + Tobin
Shannon Platt, Sparke Helmore Lawyers
Amanda Ryding, Colin Biggers & Paisley

PARTNER OF THE YEAR - SME

Kara Best, Best Wilson Buckley Family Law
Chi Chau, Hicksons
Georgie Chapman, HR Legal
Aleisha MacKenzie, Construct Law Group
Kath Manby, VM Family Law

Marianne Marchesi, Legalite

Nicola Martin, McCabe Curwood
Hillary Ray, Cowell Clarke
Shana Schreier-Joffe, Keypoint Law
Carly Stebbing, Resolution123

PRO BONO LAWYER OF THE YEAR

Genna Angelowitsch, Adviceline Injury Lawyers
Melissa De Abreu, Herbert Smith Freehills

Rebecca Dominguez, Baker McKenzie

Kate Gould, Hall & Wilcox
Nadia Kalic, Clifford Chance
Rebecca Lew, Ashurst
Bronwyn Lincoln, Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Leanne McDonald, Shine Lawyers
Heidi Nash-Smith, Wotton + Kearney
Alex Wilson, Lethbridges Barristers &Solicitors

RISING STAR OF THE YEAR - BIGLAW

Erica Chan, Gilbert + Tobin
Laura Di Roberto, Ashurst
Laura Irving, Herbert Smith Freehills

Marina Kofman, Norton Rose Fulbright

Hannah Lewis, Slater and Gordon Lawyers/St Kilda Legal Service
Freya Mulvey, Squire Patton Boggs
Cassandra Taylor, Maurice Blackburn Lawyers
Priya Wakhlu, HWL Ebsworth Lawyers
Natalie Wendon, Maddocks
Alexandra Zhu, Clifford Chance

RISING STAR OF THE YEAR – IN-HOUSE

Alexandra Barkman (Britt), Coca-Cola South Pacific
Megan Driscoll, Australian Government Solicitor
Niki Haralambidis, HESTA
Nikki Howie, HESTA
Elysse Lloyd, University of Sydney (Secondee from Ashurst)

Ria Manguray, Tourism Australia

Haylen Pong, Diligent Board Services Australia
Alicia Simonds, Medibank/ahm health insurance
Nell Van Weerdenburg, LOD

RISING STAR OF THE YEAR – SME LAW

Amelia Abbott, Sprintlaw
Emily Anderson, Cowell Clarke
Stephanie Andrews, McCabe Curwood
Kirstie Barfoot, Coleman Greig

Renae Barrett, Ramsden Lawyers

Genevieve Barry, Resolution123
Traci Yan Yan Chen, Nevile & Co
Anna Colless, Blueprint Law
Marial Lewis, Teleo Lawyers
Penelope Meeves, Ellem Warren Lawyers

SENIOR ASSOCIATE OF THE YEAR – BIGLAW

Rachelle Downie, Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Emily Hart, Maurice Blackburn Lawyers
Kim Moore, HFW
Amanda Murphy, Clifford Chance

Paula Nassif, King & Wood Mallesons

Courtney Robertson, Gilbert + Tobin
Madison Smith, Hogan Lovells
Laura Weston, Herbert Smith Freehills
Erika Williams, McCullough Robertson
Tihana Zuk, Ashurst

SENIOR ASSOCIATE OF THE YEAR – SME

Genna Angelowitsch, Adviceline Injury Lawyers
Anneka Frayne, Stacks Law Firm
Susannah Fricke, Hicksons
Alexandra Gleed, Clarendon Lawyers
Hannah Griffiths, Gilchrist Connell
Carly Hanson,James Conomos Lawyers
Laura King, Helix Legal
Helen McHugh, McCabe Curwood
Toni Myers, Ramsden Lawyers

Crystal Ray, Construct Law Group

SOLE PRACTITIONER OF THE YEAR

Jacqui Brauman, TBA Law
Penny Flint, Peninsula Injury Lawyers

Zinta Harris, Resolve Estate Law

Sarah Jefford, Sarah Jefford - Family & Surrogacy Lawyer
Haatsari Marunda, HCM LEGAL
Eugenia Mitrakas OAM, Eugenia Mitrakas (EMR)
Fiona Nguyen, Girl Friday IP
Alison Ryder, Ryder Legal
Marie Sullivan OAM, ClearPath Navigating Family Law
Alexia Ereboni, Yazdani Hillside Legal

SPECIAL COUNSEL OF THE YEAR

Kimberly Allen, Shine Lawyers
Kathryn Bertram, Johnson Winter & Slattery
Lisa Kinder, Donaldson Law
Olamide Kowalik, Revolution Law
Joanna Lawrence, Ashurst

Tuanh Nguyen, PricewaterhouseCoopers

Katherine Payne, Hall & Wilcox
Hope Saloustros, Wotton + Kearney
Alexandra Shields, Norton Rose Fulbright
Elizabeth Ticehurst, KPMG Law

THOUGHT LEADER OF THE YEAR

Anne-Marie Cade, Divorce Right
Laura Chipp, Victoria Police

Rose Cocchiaro, Resolve Divorce

Ann-Maree David, The College of Law
Lucy Dickens, Doing Law Differently
Zinta Harris, Resolve Estate Law
Sarah Jefford, Sarah Jefford - Family & Surrogacy Lawyer
Shaya Lewis-Dermody, The Family Law Project
Andrea Michaels, NDA Law
Jessie Porteus, The Learned Crew
Anne-Marie Rice, Rice Dispute Resolution

WELLNESS ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR

Katarina Smolcic, Telstra Corporation
Bryony Adams, Herbert Smith Freehills
Kathryn Bellion, King & Wood Mallesons
Kate Cliff, Kate Cliff Meditation
Sylvia Hands, Medibank Private

Alexia Houston, Clayton Utz

Tara Lucke, The Art of Estate Planning
Clarissa Rayward, Happy Lawyer Happy Life
Catherine Stokes, The College of Law
Amanda Watt, MinterEllison