2023 Winners and Finalists

Academic/Researcher of the Year

Azadeh Dastyari, Western Sydney University
Kathy Douglas, RMIT Univeristy
Kate Fischer-Doherty, Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne
Amanda-Jane George, CQUniversity
Vedna Jivan, UNSW Law and Justice
Tina Popa, RMIT University
Katie Roberton, Stateless Legal Clinic, Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne
Natalie Stoianoff, Faculty of Law, University of Technology Sydney

Madeline Taylor, Macquarie University

Barrister of the Year

Arna Delle-Vergini, Victorian Bar

Tahlia Ferrari, Victorian Bar
Tyneil Flaherty, Murray Chambers, Adelaide
Sharon Kermath, Svenson Barristers
Carmel Lee, Greenway Chambers
Olla Otrebski, Orange Chambers
Temple Saville, Victorian Bar
Alison Umbers, Victorian Bar
Regina Weiss, Derwent and Tamar Chambers
Angelika Yianoulatos, Victorian Bar

Dealmaker of the Year

Alexandria Batakin, McInnes Wilson Lawyers
Trish Chapman, Wright Legal
Kate Koidl, MinterEllison

Sandy Mak, Corrs Chambers Westgarth

Catherine Merity, Maddocks
Mariam Roumie, Long Saad Woodbridge Lawyers

Executive of the Year

Simone Corby, Kenny Spring Solicitors
Alison Cusack, Cusack & Co
Alana Jacquet, Our Lawyers
Agnes Kemenes, No Borders Law Group
Kate Marr, Marr Family Lawyers
Pip Murphy, The Association of Litigation Funders of Australia
Simone Rees, Buchanan Rees
Danielle Snell, Elit Lawyers by McGirr & Snell

Sandra Soden, Soden Legal

Tessa van Duyn, Moores

General Counsel of the Year

Heela Arsala, Buchan
Emma Drummond, Animal Logic
Emily Jackson, FWWC2023
Danielle Keyes, NOVA Entertainment Group
Luana Melis, Time & Place
Shiara Mutukisna, BeiGene
Katrin O’Sullivan, The Fred Hollows Foundation

Stephanie Pickett, GeelongPort

Kate Sherburn, Who Gives A Crap
Natalie Truong, Ad Standards

HR Professional of the Year

Caroline Bachi, Moulis Legal
Maike Barton, Leach Legal
Rachael Britton, McCabes Lawyers
Alison Daly-Thomson, Hall & Wilcox

Simone Gigg, Hazelbrook Legal

Carola Lauer, DLA Piper
Kate Maloney, Dentons
Christine Roberts, Aitken Partners
Trisha Scott, Coleman Greig Lawyers
Shino Swaver, Arnold Thomas & Becker Lawyers

Indigenous Lawyer of the Year

Sionea Breust, SCB Legal

Karina Hawtrey, National Justice Project

Sarah-Jayne Reid, Queensland Indigenous Family Violence Legal Service
Thelma Schwartz, Queensland Indigenous Family Violence Legal Service

In-House Professional of the Year

Emma Berry, Kinrise
Erin Boyling, Viva Leisure

Natalie Connor, APA Group

Edwina Grigg, Novo Nordisk
Marina Jury, Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific
Tara Lewis, Mastercard
Bethany Lo Russo, Dovetail
Erin Scarrow, Accenture
Brandy Tsang, Boston Consulting Group
Sarah Williams Hart, Commonwealth Bank of Australia

Innovator of the Year (Individual)

Liz Chase, Leo Cussen
Kathy Constan, LodgeX Legal
Melanie Heffernan, South East Lawyers

Kate Lawson, Cowell Clarke Commercial Lawyers

Amanda Little, ALA Law and Family Law Education Network of Australia
Joanna Oakey, Aspect Legal
Caryn Sandler, Gilbert + Tobin
Chloe Taylor, Hall & Wilcox
Verity White, Checklist Legal
Chloe White, Visa Sidekick

Law Student of the Year

Jaya Dadwal, University of Technology Sydney
Melissa Dib, New Chambers

Daphne Fong, Marque Lawyers

Kate Garland, Piper Alderman
Madhuli Kango, Mills Oakley
Alana Komesaroff, Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Jazmine Miles, Carnival Australia
Lauren Rametta, La Trobe University
Makayla Smith, Queensland Indigenous Family Violence Legal Service
Andrya Younan, La Trobe University Law Students’ Association

Legal Operations Professional of the Year

Rachel Barbaro, Lawganised
Rachael Britton, McCabes Lawyers
Nicole Green, Thynne + Macartney
Allison Keeton, Lawcadia
Brinley Meagher, LegalVision
Jody Midson, Slater & Gordon

Lindy Muto, Rigby Cooke Lawyers

Dayna Roberts, Botten Levinson Lawyers
Colleen Weiler, Hicksons Lawyers
Deon Wylie, Emma Turnbull Lawyers

Legal Support Professional of the Year

Maddison Anstiss, Howden Saggers Lawyers
Laura Bloore, Doyle’s Family Law & Mediation
Rebecca Chandler, Lake Macquarie City Council
Jordan Collier, Emma Turnbull Lawyers
Nicola Dabboussy, MacDougall & Hydes Lawyers
Andrea Graham, Lander & Rogers

Brinley Meagher, LegalVision

Lily Pham, Law Lawyers & Associates
Michelle Schneider, Sunstate Conveyancing - Sunshine Coast
Kailah Wilcox, Tartaglia Lawyers

Marketing Communications Professional of the Year

Selina Abram, LOD

Laini Bennett, LegalVision

Simone Corby, Kenny Spring Solicitors
Lily Passchier, Jewell Hancock Employment Lawyers
Rebecca Petroff, Sunstate Conveyancing
Melissa Summergreene, Attwood Marshall Lawyers
Sharon Thompson, Gadens
Kirsten Wilson-Evans, LodgeX Legal
Melinda Woledge, Hall & Wilcox
Suzanne Wootton, McInnes Wilson Lawyers

Mentor of the Year

Rachell Davey, Lander & Rogers
Amelia Edwards, Universal Counsel
Elizabeth Fairon, Life Law Solutions

Carla Giles, The Family Law Co.

Alana Jacquet, Our Lawyers
Olamide Kowalik, Revolution Law
Sophie Lefebvre, Victorian Women Lawyers (VWL) and Victorian Government Solicitor’s Office (VGSO)
Kate Marr, Marr Family Lawyers
Aleisha Nair, Carroll & O’Dea Lawyers
Helen Stavridis, Barry Nilsson

Not-for-Profit, Pro Bono or Community Legal Centre Lawyer of the Year

Emma Blay, Barry Nilsson
Tegan Boorman, Social Law Co.

Farzana Choudhury, Canberra Community Law

Zoe De Re, Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT)
Lisa Fowler, Women’s Legal Service Victoria
Alexandra Kupka, Suncoast Community Legal Service
Katrin O’Sullivan, The Fred Hollows Foundation
Lauren Stubbs, Everyday Justice and Mills Oakley
Jane Tiller, Monash University
Michele Tucker, Deakin Law Clinic, Deakin Law School

Partner of the Year - BigLaw

Phillipa Beck, Pinsent Masons
Louise Camenzuli, Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Corrina Dowling, Barry Nilsson

Marini Mann, Gilchrist Connell

Victoria Nomikos, Macpherson Kelley
Pria O’Sullivan, Maddocks
Ruth Rosedale, King & Wood Mallesons
Jo Ruitenberg, Hamilton Locke
Jyoti Singh, DLA Piper
Claire Smith, Clayton Utz

Partner of the Year - SME Law

Megan Caines, Polaris Lawyers

Julia Cameron, Rigby Cooke Lawyers

Trish Chapman, Wright Legal
Carla Giles, The Family Law Co.
Chloe Moorfoot, FAL Lawyers
Melissa Patterson, SLF Lawyers
Gabriella Pomare, The Norton Law Group
Ashleigh Poole, Thynne + Macartney
Amra Sabou, Stanley & Co. Lawyers
Emma Turnbull, Emma Turnbull Lawyers

Rising Star of the Year - BigLaw

Rebecca Cleary, Holding Redlich
Talia Le Couteur Scott, K&L Gates
Nicola Macrow, Pinsent Masons

Tess McGuire, MinterEllison

Emily Ownsworth, HopgoodGanim Lawyers
Beth Royan, Barry Nilsson
Talia Srage, Hicksons Lawyers
Janna Tay, Allen & Overy
Emily Wood, Clyde & Co
Regina Yap, Allens

Rising Star of the Year - In-house

Erin Boyling, Viva Leisure
Andia Javidirad, etika
Greta Koshy, Sydney Metro
Bethany Lo Russo, Dovetail

Erin Mifsud, IP Australia

Taylor Murray, Lake Macquarie City Council
Emily Thompson, Australian Grand Prix Corporation

Rising Star of the Year - SME Law

Melissa Arndell, Bourke Legal
Chloe Beare, Kalus Kenny Intelex
Caley Catto, Panetta McGrath Lawyers
Helen Driscoll, Rose Litigation Lawyers

Anjali Goyal, Moulis Legal

Kristina Komadina, Marr Family Lawyers
Dominique Markwort, Seton Family Lawyers
Keeley Press, SLF Lawyers
Emily Priddle, Redlich’s Work Injury Lawyers
Charlotte Watson, Hundt Law

Senior Associate of the Year - BigLaw

Pooja Anantha, Ashurst

Marina Basile, Colin Biggers & Paisley

Carlita Bloecker, HFW Australia
Molly Campbell, Sparke Helmore
Grace Curran, Pinsent Masons
Renee Davidson, McInnes Wilson Lawyers
Melissa Ferreira, Clayton Utz
Kirsty Hall, DLA Piper
Melissa Jeremiah, Maddocks
Emily Tsoi, Baker McKenzie

Senior Associate of the Year - SME Law

Michelle Bromfield, Conditsis Lawyers
Simone Bryant, Hegarty Legal
Caley Catto, Panetta McGrath Lawyers
Laura Clare, IDP Lawyers
Genevieve Hehir, Long Saad Woodbridge Lawyers
Ingrid Mohr, Becketts Lawyers
Sara Price, Our Lawyers
Fatima Rauf, O’Brien Criminal and Civil Solicitors

Alyssa Royters, Aldermane

Debbie Sage, Attwood Marshall Lawyers

Sole Practitioner of the Year

Adele Anthony, Your Legacy Lawyer
Melissa Barlas, Conveyed
Rachael Bosnjak, Passage Migration Consulting
Amanda Elias, Greenleaf Legal
Cally Hannah, CJH Legal
Haatsari Marunda, HCM Legal
Allison Rowe, Allison Rowe Family Lawyers

Claire Styles, C Legal & Co

Jacqui Thomas, Sun Wills & Estates
Chloe White, Visa Sidekick

Special Counsel of the Year

Rebecca Baggiano, Fragomen
Sally Baker, Mills Oakley

Marissa Brock (nee Coward), DWF

Mairead Cusack, Kennedys
Kezia David, Hicksons Lawyers
Shannon Fati, Griffith Hack Australia
Angelina Gomez, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan
Linda Huan, Macpherson Kelley
Elizabeth Lilley, Maddocks
Ole Mitrevski, Massons

Thought Leader of the Year

Tegan Boorman, Social Law Co.
Stefanie Costi , Watts McCray Lawyers (formally Garland Hawthorn Brahe)
Nicole Davidson, Nicole Davidson Negotiation
Karen Finch, Legally Yours and ALTA
Simone Herbert-Lowe, Law & Cyber

Fiona Kirkman, Smokeball | FamilyProperty | Kirkman Family Law

Amanda Little, ALA Law and Family Law Education Network of Australia
Amelia Morgan, Herbert Smith Freehills
Jessica Rippon, Construction Legal
Natalie Stoianoff, University of Technology Sydney

Wellness Advocate of the Year

Serina Boyaci nee Pace, Pace Adelaide Legal
Stefanie Costi , Watts McCray Lawyers (formally Garland Hawthorn Brahe)
Alison Cusack, Cusack & Co
Skye Engwerda, Cosgriff Lawyers
Mengpei Gao, Ascent Lawyers
Alison McNamara, Chamberlains Law Firm

Trish Mullen, IDP Lawyers

Amy Nhan (Leong), Hutchinson Legal
Bettina Webb, Howden Saggers Lawyers
Belinda Winter, Cooper Grace Ward Lawyers

Lawyers Weekly Excellence Award

Madeline Taylor, Macquarie University