Award Winners
SA Young Lawyer of the Year Award
BRITTANY ARMSTRONG
Since her admission to practise in 2016, Brittany has made an outstanding contribution to the community, particularly in the area of at risk and disadvantaged youth.
Brittany has pursued the current failings of our Youth Court system to address the specific issues of young people who may be doli incapax. She has raised the failures of the system in relation to the care of children, especially in State care, with those responsible both in and outside government. In 2019, she co-presented a CPD paper on the presumption of doli incapax which raised important issues in relation to the failure by lawyers, police and other agencies involved with youth justice and child protection, to consider the presumption in dealing with youths under 14.
Four the past four years, Brittany has been instrumental to the delivery of the Ice Factor Program which, over 14 years, has touched the lives of over 2000 at risk high school students. Brittany was singularly responsible for organising the 2018 Ice Factor Spectacular, the Ice Factor’s biennial fundraiser, which was a tremendous success. Brittany also regularly gives speeches at other Ice Factor events, including to current and potential sponsors to raise more funds for Ice Factor.
Brittany is well respected by her peers and colleagues and has made a name for herself as a leading junior criminal lawyer. Brittany was recognised for her achievements as a criminal solicitor by being awarded the top 30 Under 30 Criminal Lawyer in Australia Award.
Mary Kitson Award
AMY NIKOLOVSKI
Amy Nikolovski is the fourth female President of the Law Society and will be the first to deliver a child during their presidency. Amy is not only the youngest ever female President but is also the youngest person to be made an Equity Partner at Duncan Basheer Hannon, at age 35. By sheer example, Amy continues to advance the interests of women lawyers.
Amy was a Member of the Society’s Gender Equity Working Group and was instrumental in garnering support for the gender equity reforms undertaken by the Law Society in 2015. In all her actions she reminds people of unconscious bias and the ways in which women are discriminated against.
She is Chair of the Society’s Bullying, Discrimination and Harassment Working Group; and the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee. She is also a Member of the Society’s Council and Executive and numerous other committees, in addition to being a Director of the Law Council of Australia and the Society’s representative on the Law Council’s Equal Opportunity in the Law Committee.