Without doubt, one of the highlights of my term as President was hosting the Law Society’s Annual Members Dinner at Doltone House in Sydney last week.  The Annual Members Dinner is one of the most enjoyable and entertaining events on the Law Society calendar and this year’s event, with guest speaker the Honourable Justice Stephen Gageler AC was no exception.

The event, attended by more than 230 members and their guests, allowed me to publicly acknowledge and thank the many people who have contributed to the work of the Law Society throughout 2018 and to also honour the achievements of solicitors who have practised law for 50 years.

During the event, I was delighted to announce that Theodora Ahilas, head of Maurice Blackburn's Asbestos and Dust Diseases National practice, is the recipient of the 2018 President's Medal. 

Theodora has enjoyed a distinguished 30-year career in the law and the President’s Medal is a fitting acknowledgement of her profound dedication to the rights of others, shown throughout a brilliant career dedicated to seeking justice for people living with the debilitating consequences of dust disease.

While we received an impressive field of candidates for this year’s President’s Medal, Theodora stood out for her ability to marry technical excellence with genuine compassion and make a tangible difference in people’s lives.

As is the tradition, the Annual Members Dinner was held on the same day as the Annual General Meeting, during which I announced the seven candidates who have been elected to serve on the 2019 Law Society Council.

I would like to extend my congratulations to the Councillors that were re-elected; Cassandra Banks, Zora Kekeff, Juliana Warner and Mark Warton, and congratulate and welcome the new members of the Council; Catherine James, Ronan MacSweeney and Brett McGrath. I would also like to thank retiring members Jane Glowrey and Coralie Kenny for the considerable time and expertise they provided during their time as Councillors.

It’s been a wonderful experience to Chair the Law Society Council in 2018. While a Councillor’s role is a demanding one, involving substantial commitment of time and effort, we are fortunate to have an engaged and lively Law Society Council that can have respectful debates on difficult issues and come to conclusions that benefit the members we serve.

Doug Humphreys
Law Society President 2018
Twitter:  @LSNSW_President

< Go back