Queensland Law Society has today announced the finalists in the 2023 QLS Excellence in Law Awards.
This year’s judging panels faced a difficult challenge with a high quality of submissions across the 12 categories.
The judges thanked the nominees saying “you have set a benchmark for excellence that has inspired your peers and colleagues, and made a positive impact on the clients, organisations and the communities you serve”.
The finalists are:
Access to Justice Award
- Ross Lee – My Community Legal
- Thelma Schwartz – Queensland Indigenous Family Violence Legal Service
Agnes McWhinney Award
- Carolyn Devries – New Way Lawyers
- Kathleen Simpson – DV Lawyer
- Leah Robertson – Queensland Indigenous Family Violence Legal Service
- Natalie Silvester – Legally Gifted
- Tricia Price – Legal Aid Queensland
Emerging Leader Award
- Arabella Kullack – Maurice Blackburn
- Brittany Anderson – Barry Nilsson
- Ellie Prior – MacDonald Law
- Jacob Corbett – Bradley & Bray
- Tiffany Marsh – Slater + Gordon Lawyers
First Nations Solicitor of the Year Award
- Jahmillah Johnson – Rio Tinto
- Lorelei Billing – Legal Aid Queensland
First Nations Student Award
- Ceferina Villarin – Griffith
- Isabella Strauss – QUT
- Keeley Hughes – Griffith
- Kimberley Leeson – Griffith
- Nathan Clews – QUT
- Stephanie Luyt – James Cook University
QLS In-House Counsel of the Year
- Emilie Franklin – Modaxo
- Melissa Scott – Megaport
- Nick Humzy-Hancock – Mutual Marketplace
- Philip Ware – Stanwell Corporation
- Wendy Barker – Jonas Software
- Yasmin Sckeyde – Rheinmetall
Queensland Solicitor of the Year – Large Firm 20+ PCS
- Ashleigh Poole – Thynne + Macartney
- Crispian Carlowe – Stone Group Lawyers
- Giridharan Sivaraman – Maurice Blackburn
- Matthew Hunter – McInnes Wilson
- Michaela Bartonkova – Maurice Blackburn
- Tim Quirk – Thynne + Macartney
Queensland Solicitor of the Year – Small Firm 2-19 PCS
- Adair Donaldson – Donaldson Law
- Aleisha MacKenzie – Construct Law Group
- Daniel Bottrell – BGM Family Lawyers
- Helen Kay – Rise Legal
- Jacob Corbett – Bradley & Bray
Queensland Solicitor of the Year – Sole Practitioner
- Atul Bhardwaj – Bhardwaj and Associates
- Hazrabee Mustaffa – HM Lawyers
- Hiwa Zandi – Madina Lawyers
- Kerry Gibb – Kerry Gibb
- Nikolina Tully – Tully Law
Regional Practitioner of the Year Award
- Bianca Stafford – Maurice Blackburn
- Joelene Nel – McLaughlins Lawyers
- Katherine Manby – VM Family Law
- Kylie Anderson – Legal Aid Queensland
- Riki Millard – Boonah Law Practice
Workplace Culture and Health Award – Organisation
- Keypoint Law
- McInnes Wilson Lawyers
- Thynne + Macartney
The winners will be announced at a gala awards dinner on Saturday 5 August at Brisbane City Hall.
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