Legal Aid Queensland was delighted to present the LAQ Equitable Briefing Award 2024 to Jurgensen Horne Lawyers Caboolture at the recent Women Lawyers Association of Queensland Awards.
Kristie Horne and Liz Schonknecht accepted the award on behalf of the firm at the 2024 WLAQ Awards last month, which recognise and celebrate the achievements of women in law over the past year.
As an organisation committed to the promotion of gender equality and diversity, LAQ endorsed the Law Council of Australia’s Model Gender Equitable Briefing Policy in 2017.
It has since adopted the 30 per cent target for the briefing of female barristers set by the policy, and amended its agreement with partner law firms to reflect this goal.
Many of the private law firms LAQ partners with to deliver legal aid services continue to reach or exceed the Equitable Briefing Policy target of 30 per cent.
In selecting the winner, LAQ considered those firms with consistent briefing practices meeting at least the 30 per cent target, diversity of female counsel briefed, the type of work, and the monetary value of the briefs to female counsel.
WLAQ President Sarah Ford said: “This year’s dinner had an incredible energy. The support, joy, and positivity that filled the room was uplifting and contagious.
“Spending the evening amongst such strong supporters of women in law – including some of Queensland’s original trailblazers – was an unforgettable experience.”
Gallery photos: Andrew Cois
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