Regional Practitioner of the Year Award

The Law Society's Regional Practitioner Award recognises an admitted legal practitioner who has demonstrated excellence in their field of practice or made exceptional contributions to the profession or their local community.

Nominees must be an admitted legal practitioner practising in regional South Australia. In accordance with the Rules of the Society, click here to view the map used to define which areas qualify as regional.

The selection panel for the Regional Practitioner Award comprises the President, Chair and Deputy Chair of the Country Practitioners Committee.

Nominators must be Members of the Society.

Award Specific Criteria 

Nominees for the Regional Practitioner of the Year Award must be an admitted legal practitioner, practising in regional South Australia. In accordance with the Rules of the Society, click here to view the map used to define which areas qualify as regional.

Nomination and selection process

  1. Nominees are not required to be Members of the Society unless otherwise specified in the award specific criteria.
  2. Nominees are not required to be admitted legal practitioners unless otherwise specified in the award specific criteria. 
  3. Nominators must be Members of the Society.
  4. Self-nominations are not accepted.
  5. The nomination will be submitted on the Law Society website via the online process;
    • Name and contact details of nominator
    • Name and contact details of nominee
    • Name and contact details of two referees who can attest that the nominee meets the Award criteria; and 
    • Description of the achievements of the nominee that address the Award criteria (Maximum 400 words).
  6. Nominees who are unsuccessful for an award in a given year will be included for consideration for the award in the following three years (subject to the nominee continuing to meet the award criteria and in the absence of the nominee, nominator or seconder withdrawing the nomination).
  7. A nominee/s must not be the subject of charges before the Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Tribunal or the Supreme Court for unsatisfactory conduct or professional misconduct, or be a person suspended from practice.
  8. The judging panel for each award will consider nominations and make a final decision on the suitability of the nominee for the Award.
  9. The judging panel may decide that an award not be conferred in a given year, should there not be a suitably meritorious nominee.

Winner of the Regional Practitioner of the Year Award

2024 - Lachlan McAuliffee

Lachlan McAuliffe has been a committed and esteemed legal practitioner in the Port Pirie region for a number of years.

He was instrumental in keeping the Port Pirie court open when the Courts Administration Authority investigated moving all matters to Port Augusta.

Lachlan was a board member for non-profit organisation Uniting Country, which provides support for vulnerable country residents experiences issues such as homelessness, family violence, family breakdown, health issues and financial hardship.

He has acted as the unofficial duty solicitor in Port Pirie for a number of years without seeking payment, having conducted close to 200 free court appearances for defendants per year.