National Golden Gavel
Each year, young lawyers test their public speaking skills and comedic genius at Golden Gavel competitions across the country. The winners of each state and territory competition face off at the National Golden Gavel, to prove that an ounce of wit is worth a pound of argument.
The prestigious National Golden Gavel, presented by the Young Lawyers' Committee of the Law Council of Australia, provides an opportunity for early career lawyers to showcase their advocacy and comedy skills, with each given five minutes to argue their case on a usually far-fetched legal topic – revealed only 24 hours beforehand.
The 2023 National Golden Gavel was held in Sydney on 24 November 2023 and was hosted by the Law Society of New South Wales, where eight young lawyers from across Australia competed for the coveted title.
The National Golden Gavel Winner was Mr Nicholas Garbas from Victoria, with the topic: “A beginner’s guide to career-limiting moves”. Mr Mark Goldsworthy, from Queensland, received the People’s Choice Award for his presentation on “If a law firm was a soap opera, it would be…”.
The winners of the 2023 Australian Young Lawyer Awards, Ms Palwasha Nawabi and the Queensland Young Lawyers, were also announced.
The 2024 National Golden Gavel will be held in Melbourne on Friday, 22 November 2024. Further information will be provided soon.
Last Updated on 08/08/2024