Pride in Law Award presented at gala

For the first time, the Pride in Law Award winner will be announced as part of the 2023 Queensland Law Society Excellence in Law Awards Gala tonight.

Each year, the Pride in Law Award recognises and rewards outstanding contribution and commitment to the practice of LGBTIQA+ inclusion in the legal profession in Queensland. 

Pride In Law President Duncan MacDougall said presenting the award at the QLS Gala was a great opportunity to showcase the award and share the message to a wider audience. 

The winner will also speak at the annual address held in November at the Banco Court, which is where the award has traditionally been announced.

Nominations were invited from peers in the legal profession for practitioners who had demonstrated commitment to addressing LGBTIQA+ inclusion and advocated for change within workplaces, through academia, legal and/or social systems.

Nominations were marked against three key criteria: leadership, advocacy and inclusion.

The awards will be presented at Brisbane City Hall.

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Finalists in other categories 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

Keep an eye on QLS Proctor for profiles of the award winners.