ALEA Awards

2025 Australian Legal Education Awards

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 the annual conference of the Australasian Law Academics Association (ALAA). 

This year's winners are:

Excellence in Teaching (Sessional) Award: Chun Chi (Michael) Hung from the Faculty of Law and Justice, the University of New South Wales. With over a decade of teaching, Michael transforms legal education by integrating practice-based insights and interactive methods, inspiring the next generation of commercial law professionals.

The Excellence in Teaching (Engagement) Award: the UNSW PLT Team, comprising Vedna Jivan, Moira Murray, Anneka Ferguson and Pamela Taylor-Barnett from the Faculty of Law and Justice, the University of New South Wales. UNSW PLT delivers transformative, values-driven legal education, nurturing student wellbeing, identity formation and community engagement through innovative, practice-oriented learning that shapes adaptable, courageous lawyers of tomorrow.

Excellence in Research Supervision Award is awarded to Associate Professor Jonathan Bonnitcha from the Faculty of Law and Justice, the University of New South Wales for leading the development of innovative research training courses for higher degree research candidates in law, and for supervision practices that inspire candidates to learn.

Excellence in Teaching Outstanding Career Achievement Award: Professor Alex Steel, from the Faculty of Law and Justice at the University of New South Wales. Professor Steel’s career as a legal academic spans over 30 years, of which he has been in senior leadership positions for the last 16 years. His contributions to legal education, within UNSW, nationally and internationally, have been transformative, reflecting a sustained commitment to excellence, leadership, and collaboration. His leadership in fostering networks, developing national standards, and mentoring educators has left a lasting legacy on the field. His unwavering commitment to collaboration, mentorship, and excellence has not only shaped the careers of many colleagues but has also set new benchmarks for legal education in Australia.

Congratulations to all winners in the 2025 ALEAs!

Details of the new Australian Law Academic Awards will be available later in the year!

Past Recipients of Australian Legal Education Awards

2024

Excellence in Teaching Award: Associate Professor Alysia Blackham of the University of Melbourne for excellence and leadership in legal education, including the development of empirical legal research teaching, and design of innovative curricula and resources.

Excellence in Teaching (Early Career) Award: Pariz Lythgo-Gordon from the University of Wollongong for utilising a holistic approach, including innovative gamification, to cultivate an inclusive, motivating learning environment, empowering first-year law students to realise their full potential.

The Excellence in Teaching (Sessional) Award: Karen Abidi & Lisa Di Marco from Monash University for sustained teaching excellence and the collaborative creation of an engaging blended contract law program that motivates students through connecting theory with legal practice.

The Excellence in Teaching (Engagement) Award: Kate Fischer Doherty  from the University of Melbourne for excellence, innovation and leadership in clinical legal education that influences, inspires and enhances student learning and experience.

Excellence in Research Supervision Award: Professor Erika Techera from the University of Western Australia for sustained leadership in supervising a diverse range of HDR students, and designing a dedicated research student training and development program.

Excellence in Teaching Outstanding Career Achievement Award: Emeritus Professor Brendan Edgeworth, from the University of New South Wales.

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.