The Australian Academy of Law (AAL) is a permanent, non-government organisation devoted to the advancement of the discipline of law. According to its Constitution, [1] the Australian Academy of Law comprises individuals of exceptional distinction from all parts of the legal community, including academia, the practising profession (including private and public sector lawyers), and the judiciary.
The Academy was established on 17 July 2007, following recommendations made in the Australian Law Reform Commission's report, Managing Justice: A Review of the Federal Civil Justice System. [2]
The Academy is registered [3] under the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Act 2012 (Cth). [4] The Academy was a Deductible Gift Recipient until 30 June 2025, specifically listed in Division 30 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (Cth). [5] The Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury, the Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP, wrote in December 2025 to advise the AAL that the Government has announced its intention to amend the tax law to renew the specific listing of AAL as a DGR for gifts made after 30 June 2026 and before 1 July 2031. Renewal of the AAL's specific listing as a DGR involves a change in the tax law, specifically an amendment to Division 30 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997. The deductibility of donations to the AAL is subject to the amending legislation being passed by parliament.
The Foundation Patron of the Academy was Chief Justice Murray Gleeson AC, Chief Justice of Australia.
The second Patron of the Academy was Chief Justice Robert French AC, Chief Justice of Australia.
The third Patron of the Academy was Chief Justice Susan Kiefel AC, Chief Justice of Australia.
The fourth and present Patron of the Academy is the Hon Stephen Gageler AC, Chief Justice of Australia.
The first President of the Academy, from 2008, was the Hon Robert Nicholson AO KCSJ.
From 2011 to 2020 the President was the Hon Kevin Lindgren AM KC.
The current President is the Hon Alan Robertson AM SC (with effect from 1 July 2020).
When the Academy was founded in 2007 there were 36 Foundation Fellows, who were, in alphabetical order:
The Academy consists of an elected Fellowship which includes 10 Life Fellows, some 430 Fellows and 20 Overseas Fellows as at November 2025. [6]
The Life Fellows, in alphabetical order, are:
The current Directors are: [7]
The Academy's current officeholders are: [8]
President: The Hon Alan Robertson AM SC
Deputy President: The Hon Anthony Besanko KC
Treasurer: Emeritus Professor Bee Chen Goh
Secretary: Emeritus Professor David Barker AM
The Academy has the following Board Committees: [9]
The Prizes and Scholarships Committee
The Research and Expenditure Committee
The Events Committees
The Website and Communications Committee
The Governance Committee
The Membership Committee
The Finance Committee.
There is also an Event Organising Committee in each State and Territory.
The Australian Academy of Law awards an annual essay prize of AU$10,000. [10] It was inaugurated in 2015.
In 2025, the essay topic was "Where has Bird v DP [2024] HCA 41 left the law of vicarious liability in Australia? How does it differ from the law in other common law jurisdictions? Should there be a legislative response to Bird and, if so, what should be its scope?" [11]
The 2025 joint prize winners were Mr Zachary Gomes and Mr Aryan Mohseni for their essay ”Coming Home to Roost? The Triumph of Formalism in Bird”.
The judging panel was former High Court Justice, Professor William Gummow AC KC, Professor Emerita Barbara McDonald, The University of Sydney Law School and Professor Prue Vines, University of New South Wales Law School.
The winning essay will be published in the Australian Law Journal.
Prize winners from 2015 to 2024 are listed on the Academy's website. [12]
As well, the Academy awards annually the Michael Coper Memorial Prize of $1,500 to the winner of the Paper Presentation Competition conducted by the Australian Law Students' Association, and a prize of $1,500 for the best presentation at the Australian and New Zealand Law Honours Conference.
In 2021, the AAL offered for the first time the Australian Academy of Law First Nations Scholarship tenable in 2021 for a First Nations final year law student.
The First Nations Scholar for 2021 was Ms Mikeyli Hendry, a student at the University of Adelaide. [13]
The First Nations Scholar for 2022 was Ms Lillian Ireland, a student at the Australian National University. [14]
The First Nations Scholar for 2023 was Ms Georgia Fryer, a member of the Cubbitch Barta clan of the Dharawal nation and a final year law student at the University of Sydney majoring in Socio-Legal Studies. [15]
The First Nations Scholar for 2024 was UNSW student Mr Kyle Fox, a proud Wiradjuri man currently in his final year at UNSW studying for a Bachelor of Law and Criminology and Criminal Justice.
The First Nations Scholar for 2025 was Ms Rikisha Phineasa, a proud Torres Strait Islander woman who is a final year law student at James Cook University.
The amount of the award is now $6,000. Applications are through nominations by the respective Law Deans. The selection criteria are on the AAL's website. [16]
