Australia’s top five power brokers in law for 2021
The AFR Magazine’s hotly anticipated annual Power issue includes lists of the key players across six different industry sectors. Here are this year’s most powerful people in law.
When Michaelia Cash became Australia’s 46th Attorney-General in March, it created history. For the first time, women occupied the two most senior positions in the law. Having Cash as first law officer and Susan Kiefel as High Court Chief Justice underscore the fact that women are taking over the legal profession in Australia. Virginia Briggs heads up Australia’s biggest law firm, MinterEllison, and Jacoba Brasch, QC, is president of the Law Council of Australia.
A Council of Law Societies report revealed 2020 was the first year there were more women than men practising as solicitors in every state and territory. Sixty per cent of law students are women.
Michael PellyLegal editorMichael Pelly is the legal editor, based in our Sydney newsroom. He has been a senior adviser to federal and state attorneys-general and written two books, one a biography of former High Court Chief Justice Murray Gleeson. Email Michael at michael.pelly@afr.com
