Boutique practice The Family Law Co. has secured three national finalist positions at the 2026 Australian Law Awards, spearheading a historically strong cohort of Newcastle and Hunter-based legal institutions recognised in the prestigious national program. The peer-reviewed industry benchmark, administered by Lawyers Weekly, shortlisted Principal Solicitor Carla Giles for both Mentor of the Year and Regional/Suburban Lawyer of the Year, while team member Lauren Devine was named a finalist for Law Student of the Year.
The nominations for The Family Law Co. highlight the firm’s structured internal professional development matrix, the MentorPath Program. The workplace framework integrates junior solicitors directly into complex litigation files alongside senior practitioners, establishing a collaborative file-management system designed to enhance client risk mitigation and accelerate regional talent retention.
Principal Solicitor at The Family Law Co., Carla Giles operates across a broad litigation portfolio covering alternative dispute resolution, complex corporate property settlements, and family dispute mediation across Newcastle, Maitland, and regional New South Wales.
Carla noted that formal workplace mentoring structures directly correspond to improved service delivery outcomes within specialised regional jurisdictions.
“I’m genuinely humbled by this recognition. Audit is a team sport, and none of this happens without the people I work with every day or the trust our clients place in us,” Carla said.
“Prosperity has given me the opportunity to grow, take on new challenges and work across the country and overseas. I’m proud to lead our Newcastle office and excited about where we can take our audit practice from here.”
Shortlisted in the national student category, Lauren Devine has paired her legal qualifications with systemic equity governance advocacy across New South Wales. Her community framework engagement includes official leadership portfolios with Pride in Law NSW, the Women’s Legal Service NSW advisory board, and as Co-Founder of the Rainbow Roundtable social initiative.
The multi-sector nominations arrive amid a broader surge in market share and peer acknowledgment for professional service firms across the Hunter. The 2026 program reveals an extensive local presence, with Next Legal & Conveyancing securing a finalist position for Regional/Suburban Law Firm of the Year.
Large-scale national commercial practices with major corporate operations in Newcastle also dominated key sectors. Sparke Helmore earned shortlists for the premier Law Firm of the Year title, alongside Government Team of the Year and Pro Bono Program of the Year. Similarly, Moray & Agnew secured finalist positions for Insurance Team of the Year and Pro Bono Program of the Year, confirming the technical capacity handled out of their Newcastle commercial offices.
The regional talent pipeline was further reinforced by the University of Newcastle’s Rochelle James, who will compete alongside Lauren within the national Law Student of the Year category.
Category winners will be announced at an industry presentation dinner on Thursday 30 July 2026 at The Star in Pyrmont, Sydney.
IMAGE | Newcastle firms secure major footprint in 2026 Australian Law Awards finalist line-up
