Inaugural First Nations awards presented at Law Society awards night
9 September 2025
Two new awards – First Nations Lawyer of the Year and Outstanding First Nations Law Student – were presented by the Law Society at its annual awards night.
Sharon Lucas, who commenced her legal career in native title law and now works at the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement (ALRM), was presented with the inaugural First Nations Lawyer of the Year award, while Codi Buckskin and Nathaniel Keeler were joint winners of the First Nations Law Student of the Year award.
Several other award winners, whose contributions to justice and the law are summarised below, were announced on the night.
View photo gallery of award winners
Top row, left to right: Georgina Reid, Sharon Lucas, Nicholas Llewellyn-Jones, Eti David Moananu, Codi Buckskin and Nathaniel Keeler.
Bottom row, left to right: Tim Mellor, M Murtaza Ali Dostdar, Danielle Gilby, Kelly Morgan, Pam McEwin and Debrah Mercurio.
First Nations Lawyer of the Year – Sharon Lucas
Sharon Lucas graduated from law school as a mature age student in 1998 and has dedicated her legal career in pursuit of access to justice for Aboriginal people in South Australia.
Sharon, a Wangkangurru Yarluyandi woman, began her legal career at the Native Title Unit (NTU), which was established after the passage of the Native Title Act in 1993.
In her time at NTU (which later transitioned to South Australian Native Title Services), Sharon navigated the native title claims process when it was an emerging area of law, and her deep knowledge of traditional laws and customs made her a powerful advocate for Aboriginal groups.
In 2016, Sharon joined the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement (ALRM), working on child protection matters, family law, adult guardianship, and abuse in care.
While at the ALRM she managed the Your Story legal support program for Aboriginal communities across the State during the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability.
Sharon has always taken a holistic approach to her role, providing support in relation to family issues, substance use, mental health, and homelessness, in addition to the legal expertise she provides.
Law Society President Marissa Mackie said: “Sharon has spent her entire legal career in the non-profit sector and has been relentless in her efforts to provide and enhance access to justice for Aboriginal people, many of whom are extremely vulnerable in their lives when she comes into contact with them.”
“Aboriginal people are significantly underrepresented in the South Australian legal profession, with only 0.5% of local lawyers identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, according to the most recent National Profile of Solicitors report.”
“Seeing Sharon honoured for her service, while she has never sought any accolades for her work, will hopefully inspire others in the Aboriginal community to pursue a career in law.”
Outstanding First Nations Law Student Award - Codi Buckskin and Nathaniel Keeler
Both Codi Buckskin and Nathaniel Keeler have been participants in the Aboriginal Law Students Mentoring Program, which connects Aboriginal law students with legal practitioners to form a one-on-one mentoring relationships throughout tertiary study.
Codi and Nathaniel, both third-year law students, have made significant contributions to the ALRM’s report “Unfinished Business”, which examines the implementation of 130 recommendations of the Death in Custody Royal Commission.
Both students gave up their summer 2024-25 holidays to undertake research, consultation, and writing the report. Both students made significant contributions to the report, often leading consultations, taking extensive notes, and writing several passages for the report.
Codi, a Narungga Wirangu woman, has also worked as a law clerk at JusticeNet SA, assisting with legal research and helping clients. She has mentored First Nations high school students and is an independent consultant for the SACE board, where she advises on cultural issues in relation to SACE’s Reconciliation Action Plan and Cultural Recognition Project.
Nathaniel, a Ngarrindjeri, Kokatha, Mirning, Alwa, and Mara man, is currently undertaking a cadetship with the Crown Solicitors' Office, is a student mentor for Wirltu Yarlu, and previously, alongside his work at Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement, worked as a paralegal with Sparke Helmore Lawyers, and completed work experience in the Office of the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Attorney General.
Ms Mackie said: “Both Codi and Nathaniel have demonstrated leadership qualities beyond their years. What they have gained from receiving mentorship has already been returned many times over in terms of what they have contributed to the community, and they are only at the start of what I am sure will be a long a fruitful career.
“The law needs more people like Odi and Nathaniel, who understand the challenges that vulnerable people face in achieving justice, and are committed to doing something about it.”
Justice Award - Georgina Reid and Nick Llewellyn-Jones
The Law Society’s Justice Award recognises an admitted legal practitioner or organisation which has made an outstanding contribution to improving fair and equal access to justice in South Australia.
Georgina Reid is a Partner at MPS Law with over 25 years’ experience in native title and Indigenous land matters across Australia, in which she has led negotiations leading to significant agreements between traditional owners, governments, and other stakeholders, ensuring just outcomes for affected parties. Georgina was a founding member of the Society’s Aboriginal Issues Committee, amongst a range of other legal roles and appointments.
Over her career, Georgina has played a leading role in resolving more than 15 native title claims by consent determination across South Australia and Queensland. She has represented a number of indigenous groups across Australia both in private practice and as an employed solicitor with native title representative body the Torres Strait Regional Authority. Georgina lived and worked in the Torres Strait for over four years representing traditional owner groups across all of the inhabited islands.
At MPS Law Georgina provides advice to a range of Aboriginal groups, organisations and individuals to assist them navigate complex native title and related legal issues.
Nick Llewellyn-Jones is the founder and team leader of the Native Title, Resources and Renewable Energy team at Norman Waterhouse. Nick has successfully finalised various native title claims in the Federal Court of Australia including acting for the Barngarla People in their successful native title claims over the important regional centres of Port Augusta, Whyalla and Port Lincoln and in the Kaurna claim over Adelaide for whilst acting for local Government.
Nick has run numerous nationally significant litigations on behalf of Aboriginal groups including running substantive and successful judicial review proceedings on behalf of native title holders against State and Commonwealth Ministers to protect traditional sites of significance. Nick has also undertaken considerable negotiation work on behalf of native title holders, having finalised more than half of all commercial project Indigenous Land Use Agreements in South Australia in the last decade. This negotiation work has included nationally significant agreements, in particular in the developing area of native title and renewable energy, leading to two of those projects winning Premier’s Energy Awards for his native title clients.
Nick recently funded and founded the Nick Llewellyn-Jones Indigenous Commerce Scholarship at Flinders University. The inaugural recipient was a Larrakia man from Darwin, who has recently completed a Bachelor of Business Studies and is now working for Yamagigu Consulting, the largest First Nations consulting firm in Australia. Nick has also been instrumental in Flinders University updating its Indigenous Law course, providing new content for law students to understand the significant work being done in current native title legal practice.
Emerging Lawyer of the Year Award - Murtaza Ali Dostdar
The Emerging Lawyer of the Year Award recognises an emerging lawyer who has contributed to the profession or the community in a significant way. An Emerging Lawyer is a person admitted to legal practice in South Australia who is under 35 years of age, or who has been admitted to practice for a period of five years or less.
Murtaza is a Lawyer at Uniting Communities, working on a range of matters across criminal and civil law in a Community Legal Centre, ensuring access to justice for the most vulnerable people in the community. Murtaza has previously served as a Legal Advisor at the Legal Services Commission and as an Associate at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.
Murtaza has had to face a number of challenges as an Afghan immigrant who, first moved to Pakistan to escape civil unrest in Afghanistan and then moved to Australia at age 11, with no English literacy.
Murtaza worked with social justice organisations to assist in the humanitarian visa process for people fleeing Afghanistan following the Taliban’s seizure of power in 2021.
He has significantly expanded the outreach of the Uniting Communities Law Centre, enhancing access to legal services for the Afghan community across South Australia, serviced through the Kilburn Community Centre, which encompasses a substantial proportion of Afghan residents in the surrounding suburbs.
Regional Practitioner of the Year Award – Kelly Morgan
The Regional Practitioner of the Year Award recognises a legal practitioner practising in regional South Australia who has demonstrated excellence in their field of practice or made exceptional contributions to the profession or their local community.
Kelly Morgan, who is the Managing Director of Kelly Kelly Legal in Jamestown, is a dedicated regional practitioner that is committed to rural communities, legal education, and law reform, who has seen her practice grow to into being the largest regional law firm in South Australia in only ten years.
Kelly Kelly Legal, under her leadership, has developed a reputation for strong commitment to staff wellbeing, growth, and flexibility, championing the interests of regional industries, and giving back to charitable organisations.
Kelly has used her regional practice to act as a mentor to young legal professionals in regional South Australia, and to foster local community connection through not only a client-oriented practice but through extensive volunteer efforts, championing events which inspire female professionals, serving on local school boards, committees, and sporting clubs, and sponsoring local events, as well as being involved in the delivery of pro bono work. In so doing, Kelly has made a strong case for young lawyers to practise in the country with its unique benefits and community ties, and has shown how regional practices can thrive.
Pro Bono Award - Debrah Mercurio
The Pro Bono Award recognises a South Australian lawyer or organisation that has contributed positively to the profession or the community.
Debrah is a Partner at Dentons who specialises in litigation, dispute resolution and migration, including in areas of contract, property, trusts, contested estates, consumer, and administrative law, and has been involved in providing pro bono services with JusticeNet SA and other organisations.
In her pro bono work, Debrah has provided advice and representation to refugees through JusticeNet’s Refugee and Asylum Seeker Project and Pro Bono Connect on a number of files, as well as providing assistance to migration applications through JusticeNet’s Federal Court Self-Representation Service across a range of issues. Through JusticeNet’s Homeless Legal outreach clinic at Catherine House, Debrah has provided assistance to women facing homelessness, as well as being significantly involved raising money for JusticeNet’s Walk for Justice, being the top individual fundraiser in 2024. Abroad, Debrah has worked on access to justice and rule of law projects for government, intergovernmental organisations and international aid agencies.
Debrah has also previously served on the Law Society’s Human Rights Committee, contributing to the development of positive legislative reform in this area.
Mary Kitson Award - Pam McEwin
Named in honour of South Australia’s first female lawyer, the Mary Kitson award recognises an individual or organisation in South Australia who has made an extraordinary commitment to the advancement of women in the law.
Pam recently retired as Senior Partner at Treloar & Treloar where she practised in estate litigation, will and estate planning, probate, and the administration of estates and elder law for over 40 years. Pam joined the legal profession at a time when women lawyers were few, and has been an active part of the change that has seen women’s representation in the legal profession grow.
Pam has been involved in the Society’s legal education programs, and established a networking group, Women of Succession and Probate, in order to foster community amongst women lawyers.
Law Society Medal of Meritorious Service – Tim Mellor
Tim Mellor has been a member of the Law Society since 1981 and has made an immense contribution to the Society, and by extension, the profession, through his various leadership and committee roles.
Tim served on the Council of the Society from 2005 to 2019, and during that time, served on the Executive for four years, which included a year as President of the Society in 2018.
Tim has been on multiple Committees for more than two decades, and remains an active contributor to the Society. He is currently serving as Chair of the Corporate Governance Committee and Chair of the Planning, Environment and Local Government Committee. He is also a member of the Aboriginal Issues Committee and the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, and serves as the Society’s representative in relation to the Howard Zelling Trust.
Bulletin Article of the Year Award
“The Misuse of Artificial Intelligence and the Implications for Legal Practice” by Carlo Soliman, Eti David Moananu, and Chris Leahy
Carlo Soliman and Eti David Moananu are colleagues at Sydney-based firm Oxcom Legal who, with Flinders University academic Chris Leahy, authored a very timely piece examining two recent cases in which solicitors filed documents containing AI generated authorities and citations. The article was more than a well-researched summary of notable cases, it also provided valuable advice about the pitfalls of lawyers relying on AI without doing their due diligence.
Bulletin Special Interest Article of the Year Award
“Who do you think I am? Why I’m more tired of diversity than you” by Danielle Gilby
Danielle Gilby, a Senior Associate at Dentons, is a back-to-back winner of this award. Her winning article describes the “diversity fatigue” she feels as bisexual, disabled lawyer, and explains why the heavy lifting involved in creating a more inclusive and safe profession cannot just be done by people from diverse backgrounds. The article is a searingly honest, compellingly written plea for recognition and action across the whole profession to address the often silent struggles that colleagues from minority groups can face.