Members of Maddocks’s Employment team in Melbourne have been awarded the President’s Award for Outstanding Service at this year’s LIV Legal Awards – the first time a team has been recognised in the Law Institute of Victoria 2024 honours.

The President’s Award for Outstanding Service is one of the Law Institute’s most prestigious awards. It recognises an outstanding contribution over and above what might reasonably be expected through voluntary service.

Melbourne Employment Partner Lindy Richardson, Senior Associate Kirsten Sullivan and Lawyer Emily Fyffe received their award for their pro bono work on negotiating the Multi-Employer Agreement on behalf of Victorian Community Legal Centres (CLCs).

By negotiating a new multi-enterprise agreement, the team assisted with significantly improving employee entitlements, which was approved by the Fair Work Commission in 2024.

The work was one of many pro bono matters undertaken by Maddocks over the last year.

The team received their award at a special ceremony in Melbourne last night.

Commenting after the awards ceremony, Lindy said: “We feel truly honoured to have received this recognition – this was a significant and complex pro bono matter that began in 2021, and made a tangible difference to all the legal centres involved and we hope for the entire Victorian community legal centre sector. This award is testament to the firm’s focus on pro bono and supporting us on this important project.”