Media Release – Victorian Bar Pro Bono Award winners recognised at 2019 awards ceremony

21Feb2019

For his long-standing commitment to pro bono work and his extensive assistance to litigants and the courts, Michael Gronow QC was awarded the Victorian Bar Trophy for exceptional individual achievement in pro bono advocacy at the Victorian Bar 2019 Pro Bono Awards ceremony last night (Wednesday 20 February).

The awards night celebrated the significant pro bono contribution of Victorian barristers and announced the winners of the 2019 Pro Bono Awards for legal services benefitting the Australian community and legal system during 2017 and 2018.

Guest speakers at the Pro Bono Awards ceremony were The Honourable Chief Justice Ferguson of the Supreme Court of Victoria, who hosted the awards, and Christopher Horan QC, the 2016 winner of the Victorian Bar Trophy.

“Hundreds of members of the Victorian Bar spend countless hours each year doing pro bono work, with more than half of members registered with the Victorian Bar’s pro bono scheme. The 2019 award winners were nominated by their peers who commended their work across a wide range of areas of the law,” said Dr Matt Collins QC, President of the Victorian Bar.

“Two underlying drivers motivate our barristers to do pro bono work: providing access to justice to those who might otherwise not be able to afford the best representation, and contributing to the efficient and equal administration of justice according to law.

“This year’s award winners have provided pro bono assistance and represented some of the most disadvantaged people in our community, including asylum seekers, people with disabilities, children in juvenile detention and others who are vulnerable and marginalised.

“Their selflessness is an outstanding example of the collegiality of our profession and how it bands together to provide high quality legal representation for those who would otherwise be unable to obtain it.

“The Victorian Bar has a proud culture and tradition of providing pro bono assistance. Later this year we will be announcing new pro bono initiatives which will further improve access to justice and legal equality for those most in need.”

The State of the Victorian Bar survey reported in March 2018 that:

  • most barristers do some pro bono and/or volunteer work and more than half are registered with the Victorian Bar’s pro bono scheme; and,
  • nearly 30 per cent provided more than 30 hours of pro bono work in the six months prior to the survey.

The Pro Bono Award categories recognise commitment to pro bono work at varying levels of seniority and time at the Bar. Award recipients for 2019 are:

  • Victorian Bar Pro Bono Trophy: Michael Gronow QC for his extensive assistance to litigants and the Court as part of the Court of Appeal Pro Bono Duty Barrister scheme and other pro bono programs; his willingness to take on hard cases; and his long-standing commitment to pro bono advocacy over many years.
  • Daniel Pollak Readers Award: Sarah Zeleznikow for her exceptional work in complex and multi-faceted extradition proceedings in which she represented a person sought for extradition on the basis of offences relating to violation of US sanctions.
  • Ron Castan AM QC Award:  Evelyn Tadros for her pro bono representation of the plaintiff in the ground-breaking human rights case of Matsoukatidious v Yarra Ranges Council [2017] VSC 61, where the Court confirmed that courts have a responsibility under the Charter of Human Rights to ensure that self-represented litigants can participate effectively in legal proceedings; and for her unstinting work representing asylum seekers on Nauru.
  • Susan Crennan AC QC Award: Matthew Albert for his unstinting work as the lead barrister for Justice Connect referrals for Nauru High Court appeals. Matthew ran 10 matters in the High Court in 2018, including five victories for asylum seekers on Nauru; in addition to other pro-bono advocacy in the tenancy and immigration fields. Matthew received multiple nominations across different categories in this year’s awards.
  • Ron Merkel QC Award:  Lisa De Ferrari SC, nominated by Maurice Blackburn’s Social Justice Practice for Lisa’s incredible commitment to pro bono work.  It is estimated that Lisa and her team of competent junior counsel have contributed to more than 35 individuals and their families being transferred off Nauru to receive medical treatment in Australia.
  • Public Interest/Justice Innovation Award: Counsel team for the Barwon Youth Detention matter - Brian Walters AM QC, Peter Morrissey QC, Dr Ian Freckelton QC, Matthew Albert, Sarala Fitzgerald, Dr Adam McBeth and Claire Harris QC for their work, instructed by the Human Rights Law Centre, on behalf of a number of detained children, concerning a challenge to the decision of the Victorian Government to gazette part of the maximum security Barwon Prison as a youth justice centre and to transfer children there.
Media Enquiries: 

Michelle Hindson on +61 414 207 049 or by email to michelle@hindsonconsulting.com

Katherine Lorenz on +61 3 9225 7990 or by email to ceo@vicbar.com.au

News Category: 
Media Release