Pro Bono Lawyer for Refugees Wins Award
23 October 2015 at 2:23 pm
The annual Australian Young Lawyer Award was presented to Kevin Kadirgamar for his outstanding pro bono work in migration and refugee law.
A full-time solicitor at Ward Keller in Darwin, Kadirgamar formed a professional relationship with Julian Burnside QC and has been pivotal in a range of pro bono cases, including winning a Federal Court appeal in June for an asylum seeker who almost died after a 53-day hunger strike.
Law Council of Australia President, Duncan McConnel, said Kadirgamar had been tireless in his efforts to help asylum seekers in Australia.
“Kevin’s indefatigable efforts have given some of the community’s most vulnerable the ability to access justice and legal help,” McConnel said.
“The Law Council is passionate about encouraging faith and confidence in the legal profession and Kevin is the kind of lawyer who boosts our cause immeasurably.
“Kevin’s work to date emphatically demonstrates how a lawyer’s efforts can result in justice that can fundamentally change the course of a client’s life.”
The 2015 Australian Young Lawyer Organisation Award was taken out by the New South Wales Young Lawyers International Law Committee for its contribution to the sector, primarily through the publication of The Practitioner’s Guide to International Law.
First published in 2010, the Guide covers a diverse range of topics, including international dispute resolution, criminal law, environmental law, protection of cultural property, and international family law.
McConnel said the book was a valuable resource for Australian legal practitioners looking to address the international legal issues arising in daily practice.
“International issues and the internationalisation of the legal profession is one of the most significant emerging issues for the profession and this publication provides a unique and innovative perspective,” he said.
“The Guide has been of significant benefit to a range of legal professionals and there is a huge amount of work that goes into its production.
“The NSW Young Lawyers International Law Committee does a tremendous job and I’m very pleased we are able to honour their valuable work.”
The Australian Young Lawyer Award is conducted annually by the Law Council’s Young Lawyers Committee and recognises excellence in young lawyers and young lawyer organisations.
