The award recognises a commitment to equity, diversity and wellness initiatives, events and/or activities. The award is presented to one legal practice of any size, who promotes sustainable, healthy workplace cultures in the profession and embraces workplace diversity and inclusion in a meaningful way.
Criteria for organisations
Positive impact and outcomes (marked out of 10)
Nominee must demonstrate the positive impact on the workplace as a result of the partners/directors and staff adopting and embracing the organisation's policies and initiatives. This could be demonstrated through quantitative (e.g. workplace metrics, survey results) or qualitative (e.g. staff testimonials) evidence.
Implementation of equal opportunities and a sustainable, healthy, positive workplace culture (marked out of 10)
Nominees must describe one particular initiative and the associated events and/or activities that support equal opportunities, positive culture, wellbeing and the lifestyle needs of a diverse workforce, such as:
• a commitment to reconciliation
• gender, LGBTIQ+, disability, ethnicity and other initiatives and programs
• pro-bono program
• flexible work arrangements
• mental health and wellbeing initiatives
If the nominee is/are the Queensland-based office/s of an interstate or national firm, the nomination specifically highlights Queensland-based initiatives.
Education (marked out of 10)
The nominee demonstrates education of partners and employees in relation to key issues relating to diversity & inclusion, discrimination, unconscious bias, positive workplace behaviours and healthy work culture.
Summary (marked out of 10)
The nomination must include a 100 word summary of the legal practice's key initiatives for use by QLS in promotional material associated with the awards and the completed nomination form.
Optional: Attachments
The nomination may include up to two pages (pdf) of supporting material and evidence, e.g. testimonials, published articles or similar.
Eligibility
Eligible
- Nominated organisations must be a non-government legal practice of solicitors in Queensland, and may include community legal centres.
- Nominations of organisations must be endorsed by the managing partner/director (or equivalent) of the legal practices who must be a full member of Queensland Law Society (QLS).
- 75% of practitioners in the nominating organisation must be full members of QLS.
- Nominees must be Queensland-based.
- Nominees must be of good character. Nominations are reviewed by Queensland Law Society's regulation division and the QLS Ethics and Practice Centre. The due diligence will include (but is not limited to) legal review of the nominee's disciplinary history.
- The nominee has not previously won this award in the past three consecutive years.
Not eligible
- Judging panel members
- Queensland Law Society Council members or employees are not eligible for nomination.
Key dates
Thursday 18 April Nominations open
Monday 3 June Nominations close
Monday 15 July Finalists announced
Saturday 24 August Winners announced