Honorary Members

The WLAQ Management Committee has the option of appointing honorary members.  The criteria for a person being appointed an honorary member is flexible and not dependent on any one set of terms.  The recipient of a honorary membership must be female and must have significantly contributed to the advancement of women in the legal profession.

Any person in Queensland’s legal profession may make a recommendation to WLAQ’s Management Committee for consideration of a female as an honorary member.

As at 30 June 2019, the following women hold honorary membership of WLAQ:

  1. Beryl Donkin OBE, Queensland Law Society’s first paid employee.
  2. Helen O’Sullivan, former Judge of the District Court of Queensland.
  3. The Honourable Margaret McMurdo AC, former President of the Court of Appeal, Supreme Court of Queensland.
  4. Noela L’Estrange, former CEO of Queensland Law Society and WLAQ President 1988 (appointed March 2015).
  5. The Honourable Leneen Forde AC, former Governor General of Queensland and Founding President of WLAQ (appointed December 2015).
  6. The Honourable Justice Debra Mullins AO, Justice of the Queensland Court of Appeal, WLAQ Treasurer and Patron of the Una Prentice Memorial Trust Fund (appointed June 2018).
  7. Jennifer McVeigh, WLAQ President 1991 to 1992 (appointed June 2018).
  8. Veronica McCarthy, WLAQ Secretary 1978 to 2001 and WLAQ Minute Secretary 2001 to 2005 (appointed June 2018).
  9. The Honourable Sarah Derrington, Justice of the Federal Court of Australia and first female Dean at the TC Beirne School of Law, University of Queensland (appointed October 2018).
  10. The Honourable Ann Lyons, Senior Judge Administrator and Justice of the Supreme Court of Queensland and former WLAQ Woman Lawyer of the Year (appointed June 2019).
  11. Rebecca Treston QC, Barrister and first female President of the Bar Association of Queensland (appointed June 2019).
  12. The Honourable Michelle May QC AM, former Senior Judge of the Full Court of the Family Court of Australia (appointed October 2019).
  13. Ann-Maree David, Chief Executive, College of Law Queensland, WLAQ Vice-President and Australian Women Lawyers President (appointed June 2020).

All enquiries regarding Honorary Membership are to be made to the President by email at president@wlaq.com.au.