Congratulations to those recognised in Best Lawyers
22-April-2025| 
Merryn has worked for many years across brand, marketing and communications. She spent 18 years based in London working for various legal and accounting firms, before returning to Australia in 2008 to continue her career in professional services.
Congratulations to the 67 lawyers who have been included on the Best Lawyers’ list for 2026. While we have 67 lawyers on the list across 30 specialty areas, some of them are recognised more than once so we have 166 instances of recognition.
A special mention to the seven lawyers recognised for the first time—Alice Bain, Anella Bortone, Katherine Evans, Elisa McLennan, Andrew Johnston, Shelley Leembruggen and Laura Rush.
In the article in The Australian reporting on this year's list, it says that Sydney has been crowned Australia's legal capital, but Brisbane is emerging as a key market for firms as lawyers flock to that State. The results also note litigation as the most popular practice area out of the top five identified, with the second most popular being insurance followed by alternative dispute resolution, commercial law and corporate law. Sydney and Melbourne continue to draw top-tier talent, but Brisbane has emerged as a growing hub.
Here’s the full list:
- Alice Bain – Commercial Law
- Anella Bortone – Personal Injury Litigation
- Seamus Burke – Employee Benefits Law and Labour and Employment Law
- Malcolm Cameron – Alternative Dispute Resolution, Class Action Litigation, Financial Institutions, Insurance Law, Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation, Product Liability Litigation and Professional Malpractice Litigation
- Steven Cardell – Real Property Law and Retirement Villages and Senior Living Law
- Theo Casimatis – Leasing Law, Real Property Law and Trusts and Estates
- Bill Chapman – Financial Institutions
- John Coorey – Alternative Dispute Resolution, Insurance Law, Litigation and Professional Malpractice Litigation
- Aimee Dash – Insurance Law
- Mark Doepel – Alternative Dispute Resolution, Health and Aged Care Law, Insurance Law, Personal Injury Litigation and Professional Malpractice Litigation
- Michael Dwyer - Insurance Law, Litigation and Personal Injury Litigation
- Matt Ellis – Insurance Law
- Karwan Eskerie – Immigration Law and Public Law
- Katherine Evans - Litigation
- Maxine Feletti – Government Practice, Insurance Law and Litigation
- Hamish Fraser – Information Technology Law, Privacy and Data Security Law and Telecommunications Law
- Emma Gruschka – Labour and Employment Law
- Greg Guest – Insurance Law and Personal Injury Litigation
- Kiley Hodges – Construction / Infrastructure Law, Insurance Law, Product Liability Litigation and Professional Malpractice Litigation
- Luke Holland – Government Practice, Labour and Employment Law and Occupational Health and Safety Law
- Sam Jackson – Labour and Employment Law, Occupational Health and Safety Law
- Andrew Johnston – Structured Finance Law
- Ian Jones – Insurance Law and Motor Vehicle Law
- Adrian Kemp – Personal Injury Litigation
- Andrew Knight – Real Property Law
- Michael La Vista - Litigation
- Shelley Leembruggen – Personal Injury Litigation
- Dino Liistro – Insurance Law and Professional Malpractice Litigation
- Stuart Marris – Government Practice, Insurance Law, Litigation and Public Law
- Scott McDonald – Alternative Dispute Resolution, Commercial Law, Legal Malpractice Litigation, Litigation and Professional Malpractice Litigation
- Patrick McGrath – Alternative Dispute Resolution, Construction / Infrastructure Law and Insurance Law
- Julian McGrath – Insurance Law, Personal Injury Litigation, Product Liability Litigation and Professional Malpractice Litigation
- Emily McKeowen – Insurance Law, Personal Injury Litigation and Product Liability Litigation
- Yvette McLaughlin – Insurance Law, Litigation, Motor Vehicle Law and Personal Injury Litigation
- Elisa McLennan – Insurance Law and Personal Injury Litigation
- Janette McLennan – Class Action Litigation, Insurance Law and Litigation
- Belinda Michalk – Insurance Law and Product Liability Litigation
- Kristina Miller – Insurance Law and Personal Injury Litigation
- Deborah Morris – Insurance Law and Professional Malpractice Litigation
- Catherine Morton – Commercial Law and Government Practice
- Ben Nicholls – Government Practice
- Paul O'Dea – Commercial Law, Health and Aged Care Law, Leasing Law, Real Property Law and Retirement Villages and Senior Living Law
- Joanne Palamara - Insurance Law, Litigation and Personal Injury Litigation
- Rossana Parmegiani – Occupational Health and Safety Law
- Bernadette Rayment – Immigration Law and Public Law
- Sarah Richards – Insurance Law, Litigation, Product Liability Litigation and Professional Malpractice Litigation
- Chris Rimmer – Alternative Dispute Resolution, Insurance Law, Litigation and Personal Injury Litigation
- Laura Rush – Personal Injury Litigation
- Renée Sadler – Motor Vehicle Law and Personal Injury Litigation
- Mark Sainsbury – Alternative Dispute Resolution, Health and Aged Care Law, Insurance Law, Personal Injury Litigation, Professional Malpractice Litigation
- Leon Sakaris – Commercial Law, Leasing Law and Real Property Law
- Phillip Salem – Government Practice
- Matthew Seisun – Motor Vehicle Law and Personal Injury Litigation
- Rushil Sharma – Government Practice
- Michelle Taylor – Alternative Dispute Resolution, Commercial Law, Insurance Law, Litigation, Shipping and Maritime Law, Trade Law and Transportation Law
- Kerri Thomas – Alternative Dispute Resolution and Insurance Law
- Paul Tobin – Construction / Infrastructure Law
- John Toigo – Commercial Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Mining Law and Natural Resources Law
- Robert Watson – Government Practice and Information Technology Law
- Alexandra Wedutenko – Government Practice, Information Technology Law and Telecommunications Law
- Liana Westcott – Government Practice
- David White – Real Property Law
- Catherine Wilkinson – Labour and Employment Law and Occupational Health and Safety Law
- Shane Williamson – Alternative Dispute Resolution and Professional Malpractice Litigation
- Kylie Wilson – Commercial Law, Trusts and Estates and Wealth Management / Succession Planning Practice
- Chris Wood – Alternative Dispute Resolution, Personal Injury Litigation and Product Liability Litigation
- Luke Woolley – Government Practice
Best Lawyers has been published for over 40 years. Recognition in the list is based entirely on peer review and the opinions of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
