More than 40 UQ Law School students were celebrated for their academic accomplishments and pro bono work at the 2026 UQ Law Awards.
Each year, the awards ceremony brings together Law School students and their families, staff, donors, supporters and members of the profession to recognise outstanding student achievements from the previous academic year.
This year's esteemed guest speaker was The Honourable Peter Applegarth AM KC, retired Judge of the Supreme Court of Queensland.
Attendees also heard from Law School staff and presenters, including Professor Rick Bigwood, Head of UQ Law School and the Sir Gerard Brennan Chair in Law; Professor Andrew Griffiths, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Business, Economics and Law; and Professor Tamara Walsh, Director of the UQ Pro Bono Centre. They were joined by guest presenters from the legal profession, including Joanne Rennick, Managing Principal at MurphySchmidt Solicitors.
The Law School would like to congratulate all award recipients on their remarkable achievements and thank our valued sponsors, whose generosity enables these awards and helps foster excellence within our community.
The full list of prizes and award-winners is as follows:
Law School Prizes
- Alan Robb Memorial Prize | Presented by John Sullivan KC
Awarded to Aliya Feng – for the highest marks in the first attempt at Trusts and Equity.
- Ashurst Prize in Labour Law | Presented by Shelley Williams
Awarded to Ella Beutner and Owen Griffin – for the highest marks in the first attempt at the non-examination assessment in Labour Law.
- Clayton Utz Prize in Commercial Law | Presented by Andrew Hay
Awarded to Sophia Minasi – for the highest marks in the first attempt at Commercial Law.
- Corrs Chambers Westgarth Prize in Civil Procedure | Presented by Jeremy Horwood
Awarded to Hari Palanivel Murugan – for the highest overall mark in the first attempt at Civil Dispute Resolution.
- David Leeder Davies Prize in Competition Law | Presented by Luke Walker
Awarded to Hari Palanivel Murugan – for the highest mark in the first attempt at Competition Law.
- Dentons Prize in Corporate Law | Presented by Professor Rick Bigwood
Awarded to Regan Brown – for the highest overall mark in the first attempt at Corporate Law.
- Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Prize in Law | Presented by Melissa Swain-Tonkin
Awarded to Chloe Fitzgerald – for the highest overall mark in the first attempt at Law of Contract I and Law of Contract II.
- Judge Michael Rackemann Prize in Planning and Development Law | Presented by Michael Rackemann
Awarded to Amber Clarke and Chelsea James – for the highest overall marks in the first attempt at Planning and Development Law.
- MinterEllison Prize in Law | Presented by Professor Andrew Griffiths
Awarded to Zoe Cartwright – for the highest overall marks for the LLB or LLB (Hons) program.
- Robertson O'Gorman Prizes in Criminal Law | Presented by Emma Higgins
Awarded to Kate Ireland and Raisa Cabahug – for the two top performing students in the first attempt at Criminal Law.
- Russells Prize in Law | Presented by Tim Russell
Awarded to Daniella Brito-Fernandez – for the highest overall mark in the first attempt at Personal and Corporate Insolvency.
- Sarah Derrington Perpetual Trophy | Presented by Professor Rick Bigwood.
Awarded to Regan Brown – to the law student that has made an outstanding contribution to the student body and the UQ Law School that would otherwise go unrecognised.
- The Queensland Environmental Law Association Prize in Environmental Law | Presented by Kate Buckley
Awarded to Heidi Willis – for the highest overall mark in the first attempt at Environmental Law.
- UQLS Medal for Outstanding Achievement | Presented by Melodi Kizil
Awarded to Angus Watson – for a student who will graduate in the year of the award with an overall GPA of at least 5.5 in all completed LAWS courses, who has been positively and actively involved in the life of the Law School or the Society and the broader community.
- Dr M.H.M. Kidwai Memorial Prize | Presented by Professor Andrew Griffiths
Awarded to Emma Cooney – for the highest overall mark in the first attempt at Administrative Law.
- Gitanjali Bajaj Prize in Public International Law | Presented by Professor Andrew Griffiths
Awarded to Zara Barry – for the best performance in the first attempt at Public International Law.
- John Hughes Wilkinson Memorial Prize in Law | Presented by Professor Andrew Griffiths
Awarded to Sophie James – for the highest results in law courses taken over the LLB or LLB(Hons) program.
- Una Prentice Award | Presented by Professor Andrew Griffiths
Awarded to Sophie James – for the female law graduate with the highest GPA for the LLB.
- Kay Young Memorial Prize | Presented by Professor Andrew Griffiths
Awarded to Sam Goodwin – for the highest mark in the first attempt at Jurisprudence.
- Ross Anderson Memorial Prize | Presented by Professor Andrew Griffiths
Awarded to Sam Goodwin – for the highest overall mark in the first attempt at Constitutional Law.
- Maria De Donatis Memorial Prize in Corporate Law | Presented by Professor Andrew Griffiths
Awarded to Jessica McLeod – for the female student with the highest overall marks in the first attempt at Corporate Law, Foundations of Property Law and Interests in Property.
- R.J. Bulley 1960 Prize | Presented by Professor Andrew Griffiths
Awarded to Sebastian Beirne – for the highest marks in Law of Evidence.
- The Ruthning Memorial Scholarship | Presented by Professor Andrew Griffiths
Awarded to Stella Charles – for the highest marks for 4 units of LAWS courses in their first semester of the LLB program.
- The Tax Institute Prizes in Law - Prize 1 | Presented by Professor Rick Bigwood
Awarded to Eloise Grant – for the highest mark in the first attempt at Introduction to Taxation Law.
- The Tax Institute Prizes in Law - Prize 3 | Presented by Professor Rick Bigwood
Awarded to Wenji Zhou – for the highest mark in the first attempt at Business Taxation.
- Thomas William McCawley Memorial Prize | Presented by Professor Andrew Griffiths
Awarded to Owen Griffin – for the greatest proficiency in the first attempt at Labour Law.
- Thomson Reuters Prize | Presented by Professor Andrew Griffiths
Awarded to Kate Moulds – for the highest overall mark in the first attempt at Transnational Organised Crime Working Group.
- Virgil Power Prize | Presented by Professor Andrew Griffiths
Awarded to Benjamin Bartlett – for the highest overall marks in compulsory level 3 and 4 courses.
- Walter Harrison Prize | Presented by Professor Andrew Griffiths
Awarded to Ella Woods – for the highest marks in the first attempt at Foundations of Property Law and Interests in Property.
Law School Valedictorians
- Semester 1, 2025: Alexandra Nash
- Semester 2, 2025: Grace Beattie
Chosen from the graduating class of 2025 – students who have achieved academic excellence and contributed to the life of the Law School.
Pro Bono Centre Awards
- Randal Dennings Award | Presented by Joanne Rennick
Awarded to Imogen Ryan-Kerr and Rupert Hoare – for recognition of exceptional contribution to the community through pro bono legal work.
- Pro Bono Centre Leadership Awards | Presented by Joanne Rennick
Awarded to Apoorva Abeysundera, Bronte Haywood-North, Charlotte Nixon, Claire Reid, Cleo Shave, Imogen Ryan-Kerr, Kelly Yiu, Liisa Kuru, Luke Taylor, Macy Quinn, Rupert Hoare, Stella Dziov and Yasmin Sparks
