WA Lawyer of the Year Award (Over 5 years PAE)
The Law Society’s annual WA Lawyer of the Year Award presents an opportunity for the profession to nominate someone who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession, the community and/or the practice of law during the year or across recent years.
Nominees are not required to be members of the Law Society, but they must give their consent to being nominated and have been practising in Western Australia.
The WA Lawyer of the Year Award is open for nominations.
Award criteria
The Award will be judged on three criteria as follows:
- Sustained Excellence: Record of achievement and leadership.
- Legacy: Influence on legal institutions, education, jurisprudence or reform.
- Mentorship: Significant role in guiding or supporting the next generation of legal professionals.
Judging panel
- Clare Thompson SC, Honours Committee member, The Law Society of Western Australia
- Cav. Maria Saraceni, Honours Committee member, The Law Society of Western Australia
- Dr Andrew Lu AM, President, Mental Health Tribunal
- Gary Mack, President, The Law Society of Western Australia
Important dates
- Nominations open on Friday, 4 July 2025.
- Nominations close at COB on Friday, 8 August 2025.
- Late submissions will not be accepted.
- Award winners will be announced at the 2025 Gala Awards Evening for the legal profession on Friday, 7 November 2025. Click here for more information.
Further information
For more information regarding the Award, contact Member Services on (08) 9324 8692 or email membership@lawsocietywa.asn.au.
Previous Award recipients
Lawyer of the Year - Practitioner with more than five years experience
- 2024 – David Davidson
- 2023 – Tom Monks
- 2022 – Funmi Adesina
- 2021 – Peter Le
- 2020 – Lucy Dickens
- 2019 – Dr Carolyn Tan
- 2018 – Haley Allan
- 2017 – Simon Creek and Nicholas van Hattem
- 2016 – Claire Rossi and Glen McLeod
- 2015 – John Fiocco
- 2014 – Melanie Cave
- 2013 – Thomas Percy QC
- 2012 – Denis McLeod and Clare Thompson
- 2011 – Shayla Strapps and Amanda Goodie
- 2009 – Steven Penglis
- 2008 – Dr Johannes Schoombee
