WA academic and community lawyer, Dr Rob Guthrie, has jointly won the prestigious Law Council of Australia President’s Award for 2025.
The Law Society of WA nominated Rob following recognition of his achievements at this year’s Law Society Gala Awards, where he took home an Attorney General’s Community Service Law Award and was also named WA Lawyer of the Year for 2025.
Rob shared the LCA President’s Award with Kirsty Evans, who worked tirelessly to assist businesses to navigate insurance processes following the NSW floods of 2022.
Presenting the President’s Award, Juliana Warner said that both winners exemplify the contribution lawyers make to our community.
“The President’s Award is an opportunity to recognise those who work tirelessly and selflessly to make a difference in people’s lives,” she explained.
“Lawyers make a substantial contribution in a variety of ways, including to the social, economic and democratic health of our nation. Kirsty and Rob demonstrate the many ways in which this contribution is made.”
Rob has championed access to justice for more than 40 years. He was a founding member of Sussex Street Community Law Service in 1978 and has been consistently involved in the community legal sector ever since.
Currently he is a Board Member of Circle Green Community Legal. At Circle Green, Rob’s deep knowledge of workers’ compensation and workplace law provides critical support for vulnerable workers, including those suffering psychological injuries or workplace assaults.
Rob also volunteers as a senior criminal injuries compensation consultant with Women’s Legal Service WA.
“Rob has demonstrated an outstanding and sustained commitment to providing pro bono legal work in Western Australia, with a career-long focus on access to justice for vulnerable clients,” the LCA President concluded. From everyone at the Law Society, we offer Rob our congratulations on this well-deserved moment of national recognition for his contribution to the community. This recognition extends to the many lawyers working or volunteering in the community legal sector in WA, to help provide access to justice to the most vulnerable in our State.
