Legal Aid Queensland Senior Principal Lawyer Linda Adcock was “quite overwhelmed” to be named Regional Practitioner of the Year, despite more than three decades in the profession.
An Accredited Specialist in Family Law since 2001, the Bundaberg lawyer received the honour at the 2026 Queensland Law Society Excellence in Law Awards in Brisbane on Saturday night.
Ms Adcock is an Independent Children’s Lawyer, Separate Representative, an accredited Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner and Arbitrator. In 2024, she was recognised with the Legal Aid Queensland Outstanding Achievement Award.
“When I became an articled clerk over 30 years ago, I never thought that I would be recognised for the work that I have done in regional Queensland,” Ms Adcock said.
“I want to thank QLS and PEXA for sponsoring this award.
“I want to thank my colleagues at Legal Aid Queensland for nominating me and for all the support that you give me in doing my job every day.
“I especially want to give thanks to Nick Larter who supports me every day in our Legal Aid team at Bundaberg to provide high-quality legal services to those who are most in need and who are vulnerable in our society.
“I also want to thank the other finalists for this award and congratulate them on the services that they provide to their respective regions every day.
“I want to thank my other work colleagues in Bundaberg and the Wide Bay area also for every day going to work and providing services to the regions who sometimes do get forgotten.
“But I do believe that we do a great job and I am really honoured.”
Ms Adcock has dedicated her career to supporting local families through complex legal matters and has been instrumental in implementing key initiatives, including the Domestic Violence Duty Lawyer service, chairing the Family Law Pathways Network, and engaging with local stakeholders and the First Nations community.
Central Queensland practitioner Julie Howes from LGBTI Legal Service also represented regional lawyers at the awards, receiving the Pride in Law Award.
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.
Nominations are marked against three key criteria: leadership, advocacy and inclusion. The Pride in Law Award was first announced as part of the Queensland Law Society Excellence in Law Awards Gala in 2023.
“I’m deeply honoured to receive this Pride in Law Award and I’m grateful to QLS and the Law in Excellence Program for recognising the work that is so important to our community,” said Ms Howes, the Director/Principal Solicitor of LGBTI Legal Service.
“For me, this award is more than a personal achievement, a personal honour. It is something that is incredibly important for our LGBTIQA+ communities.
“Back in 2009, we established the service. It was unfunded and staffed entirely by volunteers, and it’s the first of its kind in this country, a stand-alone service for the LGBTIQA+ community.
“Over many years, we’ve had the absolute good fortune of having amazing volunteers.
“When we started out, we had 40 legal volunteers, solicitors and barristers and we had 20 junior lawyers and community workers and that has grown and has seen us now with some funding from the government, and big thanks Attorney-General, because we would not be doing the work that we’re doing right now.”
Ms Howes reaffirmed the service’s commitment to regional Queensland and is looking to the future.
“We are in the regions. We are based in central Queensland and in the south-east corner, and we’re pushing to North Queensland now as well and we’re reaching our communities and those locations,” she said.
“And as you know, people in the regions have very different barriers and lived experiences to those in city places where there’s a lot of services.
“I’m grateful for this award and I’d like to acknowledge that this award would not be possible without the enormous help and support from volunteers, our team, our management committees and our communities.”
Ms Howes is a nationally recognised LGBTIQA+ domestic and family violence solicitor and sector leader. Based in Darumbal Country, her work includes award-winning initiatives such as Australia’s first LGBTIQA+ Court Safe Room and statewide DFV legal education.
Proctor will feature all QLS Excellence in Law Award winners this week.
Share this article