2025 Winners and finalists

Academic of the Year

Neville Carter, College of Law
Chinelle Duvenhage, The University of Notre Dame Australia
Colin Hawes, Faculty of Law, University of Technology Sydney
Casey-Lee Hirst, University of NSW
Chun-Chi (Michael) Hung, UNSW Law & Justice
Nicola Kozlina, UNSW Sydney

Kathy Reeves, University of Southern Queensland

Paula Zito, University of South Australia

Barrister of the Year

Tahlia Ferrari, Victorian Bar

Tyneil Flaherty, Murray Chambers, Adelaide

Paul Folino-Gallo, Third Floor Wentworth Chambers
Zarah Garde-Wilson, Garde Wilson Lawyers
Winsome Hall, Alinea Chambers
Sharon Kermath, Victorian Bar
Darren Mort, Victorian Bar
Olla Otrebski, NSW Bar
Mary Rebehy, Lachlan Macquarie Chambers
Francois Salama, 13 St James Hall Chambers

Dealmaker of the Year

Matt Baumgurtel, Hamilton Locke
Jane Garber-Rosenzweig, BDC Law
Alex Kauye, Gilbert + Tobin
Kate Koidl, MinterEllison
Sandy Mak, Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Rebecca Maslen-Stannage, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
James Rozsa, Johnson Winter Slattery
David Ryan, DLA Piper
Eric Thianpiriya, Baker McKenzie

Michael Ziegelaar, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer

General Counsel of the Year

Andrew Bautovich, DWF Group
Stephanie-Kate Bratton, AgriFutures Australia
Sandra Costanzo, Symal Group
Candice Gin, The Adecco Group
Laura Hartmann, Grampians Health
Meighan Heard, Grays eCommerce Group
Katrin O’Sullivan, The Fred Hollows Foundation

Andrew Selim, HMC Capital

Kate Sherburn, Who Gives A Crap

Government Lawyer of the Year

Caroline Atkins, Maddocks
Riley Boughton, Australian Renewable Energy Agency
Laura Hay, Sydney Metro
Philip Jones-Hope, Jones-Hope Legal and Advisory

Jin Su Jung, Energy Corporation of NSW (EnergyCo)

Brenton Lam, Aldermane
Keith Redenbach, Redenbach Legal
Rupert Su, NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (formerly NSW DPHI)
Amanda Wescombe, Norton Rose Fulbright

In-House Lawyer of the Year

Sydney Abba, ClearBridge Investments

Joshua Caeiro, Rio Tinto

Elizabeth Favaloro, NSW Department of Communities and Justice
Meighan Heard, Grays eCommerce Group
Bahar Ilic, CBRE APAC
Jin Su Jung, Energy Corporation of NSW (EnergyCo)
Sarah Lang, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne
Emma McCleave, Telstra
Liz McKinstry, Google Australia
Lachlan Royal, Coles Group

Indigenous Leader of the Year

Duane Keighran, Keighran Legal + Advisory

Trent Wallace, Ashurst

Kathleen Wincen, Aboriginal Family Legal Services Queensland

Innovator of the Year (Individual)

Michelle Bey, Lander & Rogers
David Burnton, Lawlux
Anthony Curtin, Merton Lawyers

Daniel Ghezelbash, UNSW Law & Justice

Matthew Karakoulakis, AMK Law
Emma Maxwell, Anchored Family Law
Amber O’Meara, MinterEllison
Sara Rayment, Inkling Legal Design
Caryn Sandler, Gilbert + Tobin
Danielle Zetzer, Respect Legal

Law Student of the Year

Rhea Baweja, University of NSW and Prezzee
Daniella Cosentino, Monash University / Arnold Bloch Leibler

Oliver Hammond, UNSW

Sai Muthukumar, University of Technology Sydney
Gianluca Pecora, Bird & Bird / Human Technology Institute
Fotios Petrelis, Carroll and O’Dea Lawyers
Kyla Rivera, Allens / UNSW
Ziyan Tejani, Macquarie University
Jade Toomey, McInnes Wilson Lawyers
Lily Weaver, Slater & Gordon Lawyers

Legal Operations or Support Professional of the Year

Cassandra Allard, Henry Carus + Associates
Georgia Allen, Aldermane
Megan Carter, Shine Lawyers
Laura Jagger, Becketts Lawyers

Michele Kearns, Martin Place Chambers

Angela Kurtz, Ramsden Lawyers
Tim Markham, Adero Law
Ana Maria Oreskovic, Umbrella Family Law
Amber Rose Roebeck, Attwood Marshall Lawyers
Ariana Shehu, Dentons

Litigator of the Year

Jason Betts, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
Marcus Carbone, MTK Lawyers

Joshua Dale, Carroll and O’Dea Lawyers

Rory Markham, Adero Law
Patrick Mead, Carter Newell Lawyers
Richard Ryan, Maurice Blackburn
Danielle Snell, Elit Lawyers by McGirr & Snell
Sean Sweeney, Slater & Gordon Lawyers
Shaun Temby, Maddocks
Jay Tseng, Enyo Lawyers

Managing Partner of the Year

Ping Gangur, Level Playing Field Lawyers
Mengpei Gao, Ascent Lawyers
Michael Harmer, Harmers Workplace Lawyers
David Kearney, Wotton Kearney
Andrew Lacey, McCabes Lawyers

James Morgan-Payler, Pinsent Masons

Bill Papastergiadis OAM, Moray & Agnew
Michael Pickering, De Marco Lawyers
Eve Smith, Umbrella Family Law
Stipe Vuleta, Chamberlains Law Firm

Mediator/Arbitrator of the Year

Nicole Davidson, Nicole Davidson Negotiation
Michel Esnault, Consensus Mediation
Louise Henderson, The Norton Law Group
Anthony Lo Surdo SC, 8 Wentworth Chambers

Debra Parker, Parker Coles Curtis

Deidre Petrakis, Petrakis Mediation
Matthew Shepherd, Ramsden Family Law

Mentor of the Year

Lauren Blud, Ramsden Lawyers
John Brewster, Ashurst
Laina Chan, 2 Selborne Chambers
Dalvin Chien, Mills Oakley

Marissa Dimarco, Chamberlains Law Firm

Rebecca Hegarty, Bartier Perry
Luke McGowan, Denways Legal
Melissa Meyers, Maurice Blackburn
Michael Seton, Seton Family Lawyers
Lauren Solomonson, Coulter Legal

Partner of the Year

Blair Beven, XVII Degrees
Khilen Devani, K&L Gates
Jonathan Ikonomopoulos, DW Fox Tucker Lawyers

Dimi Ioannou, Maurice Blackburn

Binti Prasad, Hunt and Hunt
Cathy Russo, Macpherson Kelley
Zefy Souvlakis, Ethos Migration Lawyers
Adele Wan, Wan & Co Lawyers
Trevor Withane, Ironbridge Legal
Judy Zhou, Northan Legal

Property Lawyer of the Year

Zohra Ali, Corporate Legal
Karena Balkwill, Gadens
Constance Bouras, WRP Legal
Marissa Dimarco, Chamberlains Law Firm

Huiming Lin, Auslaw Partners

Evelyn Marcou, MST Lawyers
Stephanie Martyn, Southern Waters Legal
Ole Mitrevski, Massons
Giancarlo Romano, Best Hooper Lawyers
Nathan Weinberger, Weinberger Lawyers

Regional/Suburban Lawyer of the Year

Justine Aubin, August & Claire Lawyers
Kylie Devney, VAJ Byrne & Co Lawyers
Alana Jacquet, Our Lawyers
Rebekah Lovely, Revolution Law
Sacha Mastras, The Family Law Co
Tanya Neilson, Guardian Injury Law

Michelle Oates, Connect Family Law

Sara Rayment, Inkling Legal Design
Michael Seton, Seton Family Lawyers
Ashleigh Wisbey, Seacliff Family Law

Rising Star of the Year (In-House)

Sagun Bakshi, Mastercard Asia/Pacific (Australia)
Jackson Cocks, Illawarra Retirement Trust
Briahna Connolly, Queensland Corrective Services
Dajana Jefic, Transdev Australasia
Callum Lowe-Griffiths, Entain Group
Preashni Pillay, Vialto Partners
Bronte Sellers, Energy Corporation of NSW (EnergyCo)

Starrie Shi, Suntory Oceania

Alice Wang, Samsung Electronics Australia
Bryson Ward, Grampians Health

Rising Star of the Year (Private Practice)

Nariman Ali, IDP Lawyers
Alexandra Cowden, Holding Redlich
Francis Caesar Devine, Conditsis Lawyers
John Duc Ho, State Law Group
Shelley Jones, Wylde Family Law
Joshua Kan, Norton Rose Fulbright
Brinley Meagher, HWL Ebsworth
Emma Nettelbeck, McInnes Wilson Lawyers
Aspen Roggeveen, Marino Law

Samantha Worth, Lander & Rogers

Senior Associate of the Year

Dino Beslagic, Henry Carus + Associates
Elizabeth Campbell, DLA Piper
Francis Caesar Devine, Conditsis Lawyers

Jake Erman-Keogh, Cornwalls

Sophie Evans, Mills Oakley
Kate Flanigan, Carroll and O’Dea Lawyers
Sonia Haidamous, SLF Lawyers
Tarang Immidi, Buchanan Rees Dispute Lawyers
Lisa Riley, HHG Legal Group
Nicholas Rossi, Marino Law

Sole Practitioner of the Year

Melissa Barlas, Conveyed
Tendayi Chivunga, Tee Legal Services NSW
Jessica Giampiccolo, JMLG Advisory
Chun-Chi (Michael) Hung, ClearSky Legal
Angela King, MainStreet Business Services
Emma Maxwell, Anchored Family Law
William McCullough, MCC Advisory
Emily Purvis, PURE Equine Law
Ismail Rasheed, IR Legal

Melanie Vairawanathan, Melmark Law

Special Counsel of the Year

Ko Ko Aung, Albert Arthur Lawyers

Kezia David, Hicksons | Hunt & Hunt
Anthony Farinola, McInnes Wilson Lawyers
Erin Freebairn,  Commercial & Legal
Linda Huan, KHQ Lawyers
Rebekah Lovely, Revolution Law
Ellie McGrory, Gilchrist Connell
Catherine O’Keefe, Wotton Kearney
Marni Riley, Hamilton Locke
Amy Zhang, Harmers Workplace Lawyers