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The AAL Annual Essay Prize - Past Winners
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- Annual Essay Prize 2026
- Past Winners - Annual Essay Prize
2025
Winners: Mr Zachary Gomes and Mr Aryan Mohseni Topic: “Where has Bird v DP [2024] HCA 41 left the law of vicarious liability in Australia? How does it differ from the law in other common law jurisdictions? Should there be a legislative response to Bird and, if so, what should be its scope?” Judging Panel: Professor The Hon William Gummow AC QC (Chair), Professor Emerita Barbara McDonald and Professor Prue Vines See the media release here: AAL 2025 Essay Media Release 2024
The winners of the AAL's annual essay prize for 2024 were Ashleigh Barnes and jointly Zachary Gomes, Aryan Mohseni and Charlie Ward. See the media release here: AAL 2024 Essay Media Release.pdf 2023AAL Annual Essay Prize 2023 The winners of the AAL's annual essay prize for 2023 were Professor Andrew Higgins and John Yap. See the media release here: AAL 2023 Essay Media Release.pdf 2022
The winners of the AAL's annual essay prize for 2022 were Catherine Bugler and Alice Muir. See the media release here: AAL 2022 Essay Media Release.pdf 2021Winners: Ms Giulia Marrama, Ms Lillian Burgess and Mr Suvradip Maitra, %20copy.jpg "2021 AAL Annual Essay Prize winners Ms Giulia Marrama, Ms Lillian Burgess and Mr Suvradip Maitra") Judges' Associates Topic: "Outstanding fundamental issues for First Nations Peoples in Australia: Judging Panel: Professor The Hon William Gummow AC QC (Chair), Mr Tony McAvoy and Professor Gabrielle Appleby The Essay Prize will be presented to Ms Giulia Marrama, Ms Lillian Burgess View the essay written by Ms Giulia Marrama, Ms Lillian Burgess 2020 Joint Winners: Ms Natalie Ngo and Mr Tom Allchurch  Associate to the Hon Justice Garde at the Supreme Court of Victoria and Solicitor, NSW Crown Solicitor's Office Topic: “The impact of a new and widespread contagious disease on pre-existing contractual obligations. Note: Earlier ‘new’ outbreaks of infectious diseases may be taken into account.” Judging Panel: Professor The Hon William Gummow AC QC (Chair), the Hon. Justice Pamela Tate and Professor Rosalind Croucher AM. The Essay Prize will be presented to Ms Ngo and Mr Allchurch when circumstances allow.
Ms Ngo's essay can be viewed here.
Mr Allchurch's essay can be viewed here. 2019Winner: Ellen Rock Topic: How do private law and public law interact in Australia? What are, and what should be, the available remedies (public or private or both) where they interact? Judging Panel: Professor The Hon William Gummow AC QC (Chair), Ms Margaret Allars SC and Professor Rosalind Dixon. The Essay Prize was presented to Dr Rock on 7 December 2019 following the Australian and New Zealand Law Honours Prize at University of Technology Sydney . Dr Rock's essay can be viewed here. 2018
Winner: Ashleigh Mills Topic: Rights and freedoms under the Australian Constitution: what are they and do they meet the needs of the contemporary Australian society? Judging Panel: Professor The Hon William Gummow AC QC (Chair), Ms Kate Eastman SC and Professor James Stellios. The Essay Prize was presented to Ms Mills on 28 November 2018 following the Academy’s event in the Banco Court, Supreme Court of New South Wales, Sydney. Ms Mills’ essay was published in the Australian Law Journal (2019) 93 ALJ 655. Her essay can be viewed here. 2017
Winner: Phillipa McCormack Topic: How well do Australian legal institutions respond to climate change? How could that response be improved? Note: ‘Australian legal institutions’ includes legislatures, courts, public administration, universities and other legal teaching and research institutions Judging Panel: Professor The Hon William Gummow AC QC (Chair), The Hon Justice Pamela Tate and Professor Rosemary Lyster. A presentation of the Essay Prize was made to the winner on 23 October 2017 following the Academy’s event in Victoria in the Federal Court of Australia, Melbourne. Ms McCormack’s essay was published in the Australian Law Journal (2018) 92 ALJ 546. Her essay can be viewed here. 2016
Joint Winners: Lyria Bennett Moses and Robert Size Topic: What effects have advances in technology (including artificial intelligence) had upon the discipline of law in academia, the practising profession and the courts, and how may that effect change over the next ten years? What steps should be taken now to harness the benefits and limit the detriments of those advances? Judging Panel: Professor The Hon William Gummow AC QC (Chair), Professor Rosalind Croucher AM and Mr Michael Murray. A presentation of the Essay Prize was made to the winners following the Academy’s Patron’s Address on 18 October 2016 in the Banco Court, Supreme Court of New South Wales, Sydney. Associate Professor Bennett Moses’ essay was published in the Australian Law Journal (2017) 91 ALJ 561. Her essay can be viewed here. Mr Size’s essay was published in the Australian Law Journal (2017) 91 ALJ 575. His essay can be viewed here. 2015
Winner: Ailsa McKeon Topic: How should academia, the practising profession and the courts assist each other in the education of Australian lawyers? Judging Panel: Professor The Hon William Gummow AC QC (Chair), Professor Gillian Triggs and Mr Russell Miller AM. A special presentation ceremony was held on 28 October 2015 in the Court of Appeal Conference Room, Supreme Court of Queensland, Brisbane. Ms McKeon’s essay was published in the Australian Law Journal (2016) 90 ALJ 355. Her essay can be viewed here. |
AAL Annual Essay Prize 2024
AAL Annual Essay Prize 2022
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