Former Chief Justice of the High Court Susan Kiefel AC was awarded Honorary Membership of the Law Council of Australia (LCA) Gala Dinner at the weekend.
Contributions to the profession were recognised at the function with ACT family law solicitor-advocate Di Simpson receiving the 2023 President’s Award and Dr Gordon Hughes AM also receiving Honorary Membership.
Law Council of Australia President Luke Murphy said the Directors were “unanimous in their support of our extending lifetime membership to Dr Hughes and Ms Kiefel”.
Ms Kiefel at the Access to Justice conference.
“Ms Kiefel was an outstanding steward of the High Court of Australia throughout her tenure and has made a significant contribution to Australia’s jurisprudence and the rule of law,” he said.
“Dr Hughes is currently the Secretary-General of LAWASIA, and a past President of both LAWASIA and the Law Council, and was nominated for his extraordinary and generous work for this organisation as well as the Law Council and the South Pacific Lawyers’ Association.
“In the awarding of Honorary Membership, the Law Council recognises that both Ms Kiefel and Dr Hughes are models of the best spirit of the profession.”
He said Di Simpson had been “the backbone of advocacy for family law reform at both a territory and national level for over a decade, serving on the ACT Law Society’s Family Law Committee since 2012 and the Law Council’s Family Law Section Executive since 2016”.
“Under her guidance, the Law Council has been a key and respected voice on some of the most significant developments in family law.
“This has included the merger of the Family and Federal Circuit Court; development of the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children, and more recent legislative change through the Family Law Amendment Bill.”
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