Saturday, 7 December 2024
Flood victims’ warrior takes top legal honour
A solicitor who helped overturn hundreds of thousands of dollars-worth of refused flood insurance claims has been awarded this year’s President’s Medal at the Law Society of NSW’s Annual Members Dinner and Award Night.
President of the Law Society Brett McGrath said Orange-based lawyer, Kirsty Evans has demonstrated the profession’s finest traditions of service, through significant unpaid work supporting her local community in the aftermath of disaster.
“After a one in 500-year thunderstorm at Molong in November 2022, Ms Evans dedicated more than 250 hours pro bono, challenging insurers’ refused claims by a dozen devastated businesses. She gave evidence to a Federal Parliamentary Inquiry, and secured $1 million in insurance monies and grants for her community,” Mr McGrath said.
“Ms Evans’ efforts could result in lasting reform to the insurance industry, with the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics recommending to the Government her proposal to ban a practice called ‘averaging’. For businesses that are underinsured, this practice can result in just half their insured value being paid.”
Along with being a trailblazer for women in regional legal practice, Mr McGrath said Ms Evans had displayed the core values the President’s Medal was established to recognise. These are, ‘an exceptionally high level of integrity, courage, and responsibility through commitment to continual improvement of the profession and of themselves.’
“At the beginning of my term this year, I expressed a determination as one of my President’s Priorities, to highlight the often unseen and unheralded service of solicitors in our community. The President’s Medal, and other awards given tonight, offer fitting recognition of this dedication to service and the rule of law,” Mr McGrath said.
“The winner of this year’s Pro Bono Award is an exemplar of service. O’Brien Criminal & Civil Solicitors stepped into the breach, during a crisis this year at the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency, sending eight solicitors to the Northern Territory to represent vulnerable Indigenous community members and to train the Agency’s lawyers.”
The firm contributes more than 1,300 pro bono hours annually to causes like civil rights, police accountability, and criminal defence.
Mr McGrath said he has been inspired by the calibre of individuals nominated for this year’s awards, who have committed themselves not only to advancing the rule of law but also to serving their communities with passion and professionalism.
“From leading legal minds in metropolitan and greater Sydney to those championing justice in our regional areas, the nominees this year represent the full spectrum of talent, dedication, and integrity that defines our profession,” Mr McGrath said.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Damien Smith | Director, Media and Public Relations
The Law Society of New South Wales
M: +61 417 788 947 | E: [email protected]
Full list of awards
PRESIDENT’S MEDAL
Kirsty Evans Director Solicitor, Cheney Suthers Lawyers
Committee Member of the Year
Richard Snowden Partner, King & Wood Mallesons Business Law Committee
Highly Commended:
Matthew Lo Solicitor, Kerin Benson Lawyers Business Law Committee
Sole/Small Firm Practitioner of the Year
Catherine Stevenson Sole Principal Solicitor, Cathy Stevenson & Associates
Highly Commended:
Michael Hung Principal Lawyer, ClearSky Legal
In-House Corporate Counsel of the Year
Lisa Cheng Vice President, Legal, AirTrunk
Highly Commended:
Ivana Kovacevic General Counsel, Tabcorp
Early Career Lawyer of the Year
Claudia Robinson Lawyer, Financial Rights Legal Centre
Pro Bono Service Award
O’Brien Criminal and Civil Solicitors
Government Solicitor of the Year
Anna Baltins Director Domestic and Family Violence, Legal Aid NSW
Wellbeing Champion/Project of the year
Michael Seton Solicitor Director, Seton Family Lawyers
Rural or Regional Practitioner of the year – joint winners
Anneka Frayne Principal Solicitor, Stacks Law Firm, Tamworth
Dannielle Ford Director Solicitor, Cheney Suthers Lawyers