Innovation and excellence shine in award finalists

UNSW Law & Justice faculty named finalists at Lawyers Weekly 2025 Australian Law Awards

UNSW Law & Justice is proud to announce that several of its outstanding faculty members and students have been named finalists in the prestigious 2025 Australian Law Awards, hosted by Lawyers Weekly. These awards celebrate excellence across the legal profession, and this year’s nominations highlight the Faculty’s continued leadership in legal education, innovation and student achievement.

Finalists from UNSW Law & Justice include:

• Daniel Ghezelbash – Innovator of the Year
  As Director of the Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, Daniel led the development of Hear Me Out, one of the world’s first free, generative AI legal self-help tools. He also co-founded Wallumatta Legal, a not-for-profit firm bridging the justice gap for those ineligible for legal aid, and helped launch the Kaldor Centre Data Lab, Australia’s first judicial analytics lab focused on refugee law, which has driven major structural reforms. He also founded the Access to Justice Technology Network, a national body that unites legal and tech leaders to champion the ethical and impactful use of technology in expanding access to justice.
• Michael Hung – Academic of the Year and Sole Practitioner of the Year
  Michael has exemplified outstanding dedication and excellence in teaching within the School of Private and Commercial Law. His commitment to student success and innovative approach to legal education have made a lasting impact on both his students and colleagues. For his work in practice, he is also nominated for Sole Practitioner of the Year.
• Nicola Kozlina and Casey-Lee Hirst – Academic of the Year
  Nicola and Casey-Lee have demonstrated outstanding leadership and pedagogical vision through their co-development of a groundbreaking competency-based grading model in the foundational subject, Introducing Law and Justice. This innovative approach redefines how student learning is assessed, shifting from traditional metrics to a holistic, skills-based model that better reflects the realities of legal practice.

Law Student of the Year finalists:

• Rhea Baweja LinkedIn
  Bachelor of Science and Business/Laws | Paralegal at Prezzee
• Oliver Hammond LinkedIn
  Bachelor of Commerce/Laws | Paralegal at Gilbert + Tobin 
• Fotios Petrelis LinkedIn
  Bachelor of Commerce/Laws | Clerk at Carroll & O’Dea Lawyers 
• Kyla Rivera LinkedIn
  Bachelor of Commerce/Laws | Senior Paralegal at Allens 

Professor Andrew Lynch, Dean of UNSW Law & Justice, congratulated the finalists, stating:

“At UNSW Law & Justice, we are committed to fostering a culture of innovation, critical thinking and societal impact. While we celebrate the outstanding contributions of our staff and students every day, it’s especially rewarding to see their efforts acknowledged on a national stage as finalists in these awards. I’m incredibly proud of their dedication and achievements.”

The winners of the Australian Law Awards will be announced at a gala ceremony on 14 August. We wish all our finalists the very best and thank them for their continued contributions to the legal profession and to the UNSW community.