On Friday 25 November 2022, the Law Council of Australia held their annual Gala Dinner, where New Chambers’ Kate Eastman AM SC was awarded the 2022 President’s Award for her commitment to addressing and preventing human rights injustices. The President’s Award honours an individual who has been an ‘outstanding example to the Australian legal profession and to those who might seek to join its ranks’.
“An inspiration is certainly an apt way to summarise the impact Kate has made over her career,” Law Council of Australia President, Mr Tass Liveris said.
“For 30 years, Kate has been committed to providing pro-bono assistance for individuals in human rights cases. This has spanned representing Yazidi women trafficked into Syria, David Hicks during his time in Guantanamo Bay, asylum seekers, women experiencing sexual violence, children with disabilities seeking access to education and war crimes investigations.
Most recently, Ms Eastman has been Senior Counsel Assisting the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability…
Kate has not only been a dedicated advocate throughout her career, but committed to fostering and improving our justice system and our profession,” Mr Liveris said.
“She has generously shared her time and knowledge as a member of a number of Law Council Committees, and is currently the Chair of our Equal Opportunity Committee, as well as NSW Bar Association Committees.
Through this work, she has been a driving force behind the Law Council’s Equitable Briefing Policy, our submission to the Australian Human Rights Commission’s National Inquiry into Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces, the Diversity and Equality Charter, and the Law Council’s National Action Plan to Reduce Sexual Harassment.”
Full media release can be found here.
Congratulations Kate, a very well deserved award.
