Victoria’s leading legal graduates for 2022 have been honoured with the Supreme Court Prize.
The Prize, which was first awarded in 1864, recognises the highest performing student at each of Victoria’s eight law schools. Three Exhibition Prizes for the best honours thesis were also awarded.
Supreme Court Prize Winners 2022
Mary Baras-Miller – Victoria University
Patrick Andrew Thomas Beer – Australian Catholic University
Sarah Bux – La Trobe University
Jacqueline Fetter – Deakin University
James Gunn – University of Melbourne
Ha Phuong Nguyen – Swinburne University of Technology
Sirisha Shivkumar Pinnali – RMIT University
Catherine Jing Zhou – Monash University
Supreme Court Exhibition Prize Winners 2022
Jasmine Wright Catron – La Trobe University
Lucy Helen Foster – Monash University
Nicole Amy Elizabeth Jones – Australian Catholic University
The award recipients celebrated their achievements at a presentation on Wednesday 19 July 2023.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Anne Ferguson, herself a former Supreme Court Prize recipient, congratulated the graduates.
“The Prize represents the culmination of many years of dedication to learning and excellence,” she said.
“These qualities will stand the recipients in good stead for the rest of their careers and their general lives.”
Justice Kristen Walker, who is also a former Supreme Court Prize recipient, encouraged the graduates to use their intellect for the greater good – within the practice of law or outside it.
“The thinking and writing skills you have developed as a top student, and your commitment to excellence, will equip you to contribute to society in many different ways,” she said.
“Whatever path you choose, as you embark on the next chapter of your journey, I urge you to remain true to the principles that underlie our legal system: the rule of law, integrity, fairness and empathy.
“Remember the transformative power of the law and the profound impact you can have on individuals and communities.”