The finalists in the Queensland Law Society 2026 Excellence in Law Awards have been announced today.
The winners will be named at the Excellence in Law Awards Gala on Saturday 22 August at The Star Brisbane, and tickets are available.
Finalists in the following categories are:
Queensland Solicitor of the Year – Sole Practitioner
- Chelsea Baker – Baker Hastings Lawyers
- Chinyere Kalu – Justin Legal
- Damon Laffin – Odyssey Legal
- Tara Lucke – The Art of Estate Planning
- Claire Styles – C Legal and Co
Queensland Solicitor of the Year – Small firm
- Callun Blurton – Financial Dispute Legal
- Natasha Hynes – Ponting Hynes
- Sarah McBratney – Jigsaw Legal
- Craig Pratt – Gilshenan & Luton
- George Harrison Sourris – Empire Legal Pty Ltd
Queensland Solicitor of the Year – Large firm
- Kate Alroe – Lander & Rogers
- Crispian Carlowe – Unified Lawyers
- Corina Chen- Mullins Lawyers
- Leanne O’Neill – AJ & Co Lawyers
- Andrew Shute – MinterEllison
- Patrick Turner – Maurice Blackburn
In-house Counsel of the Year
- Jessica Cunning – Titles Queensland
- Debbie Gregory – Attvest Finance
- Theresa Jennings – Cancer Council Queensland
- Samantha Lennox – Cancer Council Queensland
- Eleanor Scott – Seqwater
Emerging Leader
- Amy Clarke – Macpherson Kelley
- Madeleine Dent – Legal Aid Queensland
- Kiarah Grace Kelly – Bloom Law Pty Ltd
- Erin Joy Meredith McDonald – Groom & Lavers Solicitors
- Libby Thomas – Travis Schultz & Partners
Agnes McWhinney
- Jillian Barrett – Maurice Blackburn
- Leah Nicole Cameron – Marrawah Law and Advisory
- Kristan Conlon – McCullough Robertson Lawyers
- Caroline Snow – Dentons
- Sara Margaret Sugars – Wallace & Wallace Lawyers
Regional Practitioner of the Year
- Linda Adcock – Legal Aid Queensland
- Peter Hans Apel – Northpoint Law
- Julian Brown – Maurice Blackburn
- Jacob James Corbett – Bradley & Bray Lawyers
- Kirstiana Ward – Environmental Defenders Office
Access to Justice
- Nareeta Davis – Ashurst
- Latha Elenkovan – Pine Rivers Community Legal Service
- Megan Inglis – Tasc Community Legal Centre
- Chinyere Kalu – Justin Legal
- Simon Tracy – Basic Rights Queensland Inc.
- Penelope Williams – Legal Aid Queensland
Pro Bono Team of the Year
- McInnes Wilson Lawyers
- Robertson O’Gorman Solicitors Pty Ltd
- Lander & Rogers
Graduate Lawyer of the Year
- Christina Barker – Maurice Blackburn
- Elisha Perez – Gilshenan & Luton Legal Practice
- Ishita Punj – Jones Day
- Azaan Afraaz Shariff – Mallesons
- Ryan James Swindells – Australian Federal Police
First Nations Student Award
- Caiden Bartholomew – University of Southern Queensland
- Jazmin Peggy Grant – Bond University
- Austin Kendall Mann – Griffith University
- Jordan McKellar – University of Southern Queensland
- Indi McKeown – University of Queensland
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