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 Queensland Court of Appeal.

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, former Senior Judge Administrator and Justice of the Supreme Court of Queensland and former WLAQ Woman Lawyer of the Year (appointed June 2019).

11. The Honourable Justice Rebecca Treston, First female President of the Bar Association of Queensland (appointed June 2019) and Justice of the Supreme Court of Queensland (appointed May 2024).

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).

14. The Honourable Anthe Philippides, former Justice of the Queensland Court of Appeal and first woman lawyer of immigrant parents to be appointed to the bench of a superior court in Australia (appointed October 2021).

15. Carmel MacDonald, WLAQ President (1983) and former Member of the Land Court of Queensland (appointed October 2021).

16. Cassandra Heilbronn, CEO, Private Family Office, WLAQ President 2016 to 2018 (appointed June 2022).

17. Kay Ryan, former Magistrate of the Magistrates Court of Queensland, WLAQ President 1996 to 1997.

18. Leanne O’Shea, former Deputy Chief Magistrate of the Magistrates Court of Queensland, WLAQ President 2001 to 2002.

19. Nichola Di Muzio, WLAQ Management Committee member from 2012 to 2023 and Special Counsel at Thynne + Macartney.

20. The Honorable Susan Kiefel AC KC, former Chief Justice of Australia (January 2017-November 2023), Justice of High Court of Australia (from 2007), Judge of Federal Court of Australia (1994-2007), Judge of the Supreme Court of Queensland (1993-1994)

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