University of Queensland law students have been awarded for their exceptional academic performance, in areas from taxation law to criminal procedure.
Special guest, the Hon. Justice Patrick Keane of the High Court of Australia, presented the academic prizes at the UQ Law Awards Ceremony at Customs House on May 15.
In his opening address, UQ Law alumnus Justice Keane congratulated the award recipients and reminded them of the value and advantages their university education will provide.
“The advantage which we enjoy is very special,” Justice Keane said.
“We all owe a great deal to those who have made it possible for us to enjoy this advantage; it is something that previous generations did not enjoy or even dream about.
“Hopefully you will all look for opportunities, whether in the legal profession or in business or in government, to bring your legal skills and your knowledge, the fruit and the benefit of your time at this university, to the service of all three of the great civic ideals.”
UQ's Dean of Law, Professor Nick Gaskell described the event as an opportunity to celebrate the success of the School’s highest performing students.
“This is a special night to acknowledge the hard work and efforts of the prize winners and for them to share their success with their families and friends as well as leading members of the legal profession,” Professor Gaskell said.
Professor Gaskell thanked the law firms and individuals who donated many of the awards and prizes presented on the night.
Ms Catherine Drummond, winner of The University of Queensland Law Society Medal for the Most Outstanding Graduate of the Year, said the accolade was a perfect way to end seven ‘fantastic’ years at university.
“I like to think that it is reflective of the many areas that I have tried to involve myself in at university and it is a nice memento of my accomplishments at university leading into my career,” Ms Drummond said.
More than 100 guests attended the event, including law prize sponsors, legal professionals, and family and friends of the award-winning students.
Among them was The Hon. Ian Walker, Queensland’s Minister for Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts who presented the David Leeder Davies Prize in Trade Practices Law to Ms Evelyn Peter.
The prize was established by family and friends in memory of Mr Walker’s brother-in-law, UQ law alumnus David Leeder Davies who graduated from the School in 1981.
The Law School’s December 2012 Valedictorian Mr Byron Hewson said it was a testimony to the generosity of the Law School alumni community to have so many awards to present on the night.
During the evening Justice Keane also presented the prestigious UQ Law Mentor of the Year Award to Brisbane lawyer Krista Mahoney of Thynne & Macartney.
2013 UQ Law Awards
The Allens Prize for Overall Excellence 2012: Joshua Underwood
The Allens Prize in Company Law: Joshua McGeechan
The Allan Robb Memorial Prize: Nicholas Derrington and Priscilla Mackay
The Corrs Chambers Westgarth Prizes: Evelyn Peter
The Dr MHM Kidwai Memorial Prize: Viva Paxton and Georgia Williams
The Gadens Prize for the Law of Remedies: Joshua McGeechan
The Herbert Smith Freehills Prize in Law: Samuel Walpole and Georgia Williams
The Thomas William McCawley Memorial Prize: Daniel Fuller
The Family Law Practitioners' Association Qld Prize in Family Law: Nicolas Laxton
The Walter Harrison Prizes: Prize 1: Priscilla Mackay; Prize 2: Alissa McKillop
The Andrea Bowler Memorial Prize for Family Law: San-Joe Tan
The David Leeder Davies Prize in Trade Practices Law: Evelyn Peter
The Tax Institute Prizes in Law: Prize 1: Nabila Khatree; Prize 2: Alexandra Doney; Prize 3: Xiaowen Li and Ivan Pavlov
The Ross Anderson Memorial Prize: Dr Zali Brookes
The Kay Young Memorial Prize: Harrison Tait
The Maria De Donatis Memorial Prize in Corporate Law: Lauren Humphrey
The Virgil Power Prize: Ffion Whaley
The Minter Ellison Prize in Law: Daniel Fuller
The John Hughes Wilkinson Memorial Prize in Law: Daniel Fuller
The McCullough Robertson Prizes: Prize 1: Desiree Leong; Prize 2: Daniel Thambar
The R.J. Bulley 1960 Prize: Eleanor Livsey
The University of Queensland Law Society Medal for the Most Outstanding Graduate of the Year: Catherine Drummond
The Howden Saggers Lawyers Prize in Criminal Procedure: Tegan Stockdale
The McInnes Wilson Lawyers Prize in Administrative and Public Law: Patrick Schmidt
The Owen Fletcher Award: Kerstin Braun and Rachel Lee
Una Prentice Award: Ffion Whaley
Scholarships were also awarded to students based on academic merit, the requirement for financial assistance and an expressed interest in the law:
TC Beirne School of Law Scholarship (LLB): Mr Bryton Chin
TC Beirne School of Law Scholarship (LLB): Nicole Brazier
TC Beirne School of Law Scholarship (LLB): Samuel Hickey
TC Beirne School of Law Scholarship (LLB): Laura McPherson
TC Beirne School of Law Scholarship (LLM): Elva Fiorella Araya Cordova
Law School Valedictorian July 2012 Graduation Ceremony: Andrew Wydmanski
Law School Valedictorian December 2012 Graduation Ceremony: Byron Hewson
Media: Melissa Reynolds, School of Law (07) 3365 2523, m.reynolds@law.uq.edu.au
