ALEA Awards
2024 ALEA Awards Information
The primary objective of the Australian Legal Education Awards (ALEAs) is to recognise, encourage and promote excellence and innovation in teaching and learning in the discipline of law.
The ALEAs run annually, and are announced at the dinner for annual conference of the Australasian Law Academics Association (ALAA), normally held in early July.
The 2024 round of the ALEAs is now OPEN. There are five categories of awards open for nomination from Australian legal academics, plus an Outstanding Career Achievement Award, the latter being assessed by the CALD Executive. The categories open for nomination are:
Excellence in Teaching
Excellence in Teaching (Early Career)
Excellence in Teaching (Sessional)
Excellence in Teaching (Engagement)
Excellence in Research Supervision Award
Full details, including eligibility criteria and nomination requirements, are available in the Information Pack for Nominees.
The nomination form must be submitted with any nomination (except for the Outstanding Career Achievement Award).
Past Recipients of Australian Legal Education Awards
2023
Excellence in Teaching Award: Associate Professor Marina Nehme for motivating, inspiring and positively influencing students’ learning by bringing theory to practice.
Excellence in Teaching (Early Career) Award: Sam Roach of QUT for leading innovative developments in work-integrated learning to ensure all undergraduate law students can engage in experiential learning opportunities
Excellence in Teaching (Sessional) Award: Madeleine Hale for engaging and motivating law students to approach their studies with passion, resilience and excellence through tailored and inspiring lectures, tutorials and mentorship.
Excellence in Teaching (Engagement) Award: Monash Clinical Legal Education Program for providing Monash law students with rich experiential learning opportunities to engage deeply with local, national and international communities in need of legal assistance and support
Excellence in Research Supervision Award: Professor Ben Golder for supervision practices leading to excellent student outcomes in terms of higher degree research theses and publications, and for supporting candidates’ career and research development
2022
Teaching Excellence: Kate Offer (University of Western Australia) for developing a highly engaging class culture with a focus on innovation and both real life and industry relevant learning
Teaching Excellence (Early career): Kathryn Greenman (University of Technology Sydney) for delivering practice-oriented, inclusive and engaging learning experiences that inspire students to learn and develop positive professional identities as ethical and justice-focused lawyers
Teaching Excellence (Sessional): Liz Mansveld (University of Western Australia) for sustained contribution to teaching and learning excellence in legal education using evidence-based methodologies and a passion for student success
Teaching Excellence (Engagement): Sara Dehm and Anthea Vogl (University of Technology Sydney) for inspiring students’ real-world commitment to refugee justice and enhancing their professional capabilities through clinical legal education, industry partnerships and critical, experiential learning
Research Supervision: Professor Niloufer Selvadurai (Macquarie) for inspiring students to find a purpose for research that transcends academic success and addresses a societal need motivates students to learn and flourish
Outstanding Career Achievement Award: Dr Penny Carruthers (University of Western Australia)
for sustained commitment in developing challenging and inspirational learning journeys for law students - in the classroom, through the curriculum, and through broader student experiences
2021
Excellence in Teaching: Dr Kerstin Braun and Associate Professor Noeleen McNamara (University of the Southern Queensland) for developing compulsory law-specific academic integrity resources which provides students with a clear understanding of academic misconduct, thereby eliminating breaches in two first-year core subjects
Excellence in Teaching (Early Career): Aidan Ricciardo (University of Western Australia) for instilling self-confidence in his students and supporting them to be the best learners they can be by making legal studies accessible and inclusive
Excellence in Teaching (Sessional): Alexander Chan (University of Adelaide) for fostering an engaging learning environment that motivates students to learn collaboratively and makes learning fun through real-life cases, multi-media games and popular culture references
Excellence in Teaching (Engagement): Dr Linda Steele (University of Technology Sydney) for transforming students’ understanding of disability and mental health law and empowering them to become agents of disability justice through engaging with communities
Excellence in Research Supervision: Professor Paul Babie (University of Adelaide) for leading the Adelaide Law School in supervision to completion, with students frequently receiving university and faculty awards for thesis excellence and obtaining academic and research positions
Outstanding Career Achievement Award - Professor Emeritus Ian Malkin (Melbourne Law School)
Professor Malkin’s teaching has inspired and had a lasting impression on colleagues and students over 35+ years at Melbourne Law School (MLS). Professor Malkin has developed, coordinated and delivered a range of law units and has been involved in broader curriculum development and review. His teaching and learning service, leadership and impact extends well beyond MLS, to the whole of the University of Melbourne, and he has also provided leadership in legal education more broadly at a national level. Professor Malkin’s curriculum development is innovative and he has co-authored leading textbooks in his area of expertise, along with co-authored articles that are a valuable contribution to legal education scholarship. The nomination for this award demonstrates a singularly student-centred approach to teaching which has influenced generations of law students at MLS.