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Lawyers from NSW have featured prominently in this year’s list of Queen’s Birthday Honours recipients.

Among the 50 distinguished Australians who were named as Officers (AO) of the Order of Australia in 2021 were lawyer and University of Sydney Law School Professor Anne Twomey (pictured above right), and UNSW Scientia Professor of Law Jane McAdam (above left).

Twomey is admitted as a solicitor in NSW, Victoria, the ACT, and the High Court, and is considered a leading expert on constitutional law and the legal limits of executive power. McAdam serves on a number of international committees regarding international refugee law, she is the Director of the Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law at UNSW, and joint Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Refugee Law.

There were 252 Australians who received a Member (AM) of the Order of Australia. Among them was Sydney-based human rights barrister and Senior Counsel Kate Eastman (above, centre), who was recognised for her more than 30 years of court advocacy and service to the law, to human rights and professional organisations.

NSW solicitor Joplin Higgins, a family lawyer and director of Newcastle firm Joplin Lawyers, was one of two solicitors among 640 Australians to receive a Medal (OAM) of the Order of Australia. Solicitor Denis Farrar, a lawyer of 46 years and founding partner of Farrar Gesini Dunn based in the ACT, was the other.The below lawyers were named in the Queen’s Birthday 2021 Honours List:

Officer (AO) in the General Division of the Order of Australia

  • The Honourable Patricia Anne Bergin SC for distinguished service to the law, and to the judiciary, to legal administration, and as a mentor and advisor.
  • Professor Anne Frances Twomey for distinguished service to the law, to legal education and to public education on constitutional matters.
  • Professor Jane Alexandra McAdam, for distinguished service to international refugee law, particularly to climate change and the displacement of people.

Member (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia

  • Ms Katherine Louise Eastman for significant service to the law, to human rights, and to professional organisations.

Medal (OAM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia

  • Mr Peter Clement Semmler QC for service to the law.
  • Ms Mary Catherine Walker for service to the law.
  • Denis William Farrar, NSW, for service to the law.
  • Joplin Higgins, for service to the law.

Medal in the Military Division (OAM)

  • Colonel James Graham Waddell for meritorious performance of duty as Director of Operations and Security Law and as Director of Army Legal Services for the Australian Defence Force. Colonel Waddell has been a great supporter of Legal History and co-authored the book, Justice in Arms: the History of the Australian Army Legal Corps. 
  • Group Captain Edward Allan Eather for exceptional performance of duty to the Australian Defence Force in legal services.

The complete list of award recipients is listed on the Commonwealth Governor-General’s website.