The WLAQ Management Committee has the option of appointing honorary members.  The criteria for a person being appointed an honorary member is flexible and not dependent on any one set of terms.  The recipient of a honorary membership must be female and must have significantly contributed to the advancement of women in the legal profession.

Any person in Queensland’s legal profession may make a recommendation to WLAQ’s Management Committee for consideration of a female as an honorary member.

 

The following women hold honorary membership of WLAQ:

• Beryl Donkin OBE, Queensland Law Society’s first paid employee.

• Helen O’Sullivan, former Judge of the District Court of Queensland.

• The Honourable Margaret McMurdo AC, former President of the Queensland Court of Appeal.

• Noela L’Estrange, former CEO of Queensland Law Society and WLAQ President 1988 (appointed March 2015).

• The Honourable Leneen Forde AC, former Governor General of Queensland and Founding President of WLAQ (appointed December 2015).

• The Honourable Justice Debra Mullins AO, Justice of the Queensland Court of Appeal, WLAQ Treasurer and Patron of the Una Prentice Memorial Trust Fund (appointed June 2018).

• Jennifer McVeigh, WLAQ President 1991 to 1992 (appointed June 2018).

• Veronica McCarthy, WLAQ Secretary 1978 to 2001 and WLAQ Minute Secretary 2001 to 2005 (appointed June 2018).

• The Honourable Sarah Derrington, Justice of the Federal Court of Australia and first female Dean at the TC Beirne School of Law, University of Queensland (appointed October 2018).

• The Honourable Ann Lyons, former Senior Judge Administrator and Justice of the Supreme Court of Queensland and former WLAQ Woman Lawyer of the Year (appointed June 2019).

• The Honourable Justice Rebecca Treston, First female President of the Bar Association of Queensland (appointed June 2019) and Justice of the Supreme Court of Queensland (appointed May 2024).

• The Honourable Michelle May QC AM, former Senior Judge of the Full Court of the Family Court of Australia (appointed October 2019).

• Ann-Maree David, Chief Executive, College of Law Queensland, WLAQ Vice-President and Australian Women Lawyers President (appointed June 2020).

• The Honourable Anthe Philippides, former Justice of the Queensland Court of Appeal and first woman lawyer of immigrant parents to be appointed to the bench of a superior court in Australia (appointed October 2021).

• Carmel MacDonald, WLAQ President (1983) and former Member of the Land Court of Queensland (appointed October 2021).

• Cassandra Heilbronn, CEO, Private Family Office, WLAQ President 2016 to 2018 (appointed June 2022).

• Kay Ryan, former Magistrate of the Magistrates Court of Queensland, WLAQ President 1996 to 1997.

• Leanne O’Shea, former Deputy Chief Magistrate of the Magistrates Court of Queensland, WLAQ President 2001 to 2002.

• Nichola Di Muzio, WLAQ Management Committee member from 2012 to 2023 and Special Counsel at Thynne + Macartney.

• The Honorable Susan Kiefel AC KC, former Chief Justice of Australia (January 2017-November 2023), Justice of High Court of Australia (from 2007), Judge of Federal Court of Australia (1994-2007), Judge of the Supreme Court of Queensland (1993-1994)

 

All enquiries regarding Honorary Membership are to be made to the President by email at president@wlaq.com.au.