Finalists and winners 2023

Winners of the QLS Awards
Thelma Schwartz

Access to Justice Award 2023

Thelma Schwartz, Queensland Indigenous Family Violence Legal Service
Tricia Price

Agnes McWhinney Award 2023

Tricia Price, Legal Aid Queensland
Arabella Kullack

Emerging Leader Award 2023

Arabella Kullack, Maurice Blackburn
Lorelei Billing

First Nations Solicitor of the Year Award 2023

Lorelei Billing, Legal Aid Queensland
Ceferina Villarin

First Nations Student Award 2023

Ceferina Villarin, Griffith University
Melissa Scott

In-house Counsel of the Year 2023

Mel Scott, Megaport
Jason Garrick

Pride in Law Award 2023

Jason Garrick, Legal Aid Queensland
Giri Sivaraman

Queensland Solicitor of the Year (Large) 2023

Giri Sivaraman, Maurice Blackburn
Adair Donaldson

Queensland Solicitor of the Year (Small) 2023

Adair Donaldson, Donaldson Law
Hazrabee Mustaffa

Queensland Solicitor of the Year (Sole) 2023

Hazrabee Mustaffa, HM Lawyers
Bianca Stafford

Regional Practitioner of the Year Award 2023

Bianca Stafford, Maurice Blackburn
Keypoint Law

Workplace Culture & Health Award (Organisation) 2023

Keypoint Law

Finalists

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 
  • 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 

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 
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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