CAULLT proudly presents the winner of the 2025 CAULLT / HERDSA Award for Outstanding Leadership in Research and Development:

The Legal Education Associate Deans (LEAD) Network’s Australian Legal Education Awards (ALEAs) and Peer Review of Teaching (PRoT) Program

Judith Marychurch (University of Melbourne) 

Kelley Burton (University of the Sunshine Coast)

Judith and Kelley have been recognised for their transformative work in advancing legal education across Australia. Over five years (2021-2025), they successfully developed and implemented the Australian Legal Education Awards (ALEAs), creating a national platform that unites 38 diverse Australian Law Schools in recognising excellence across six award categories. By strategically aligning the ALEAs with the Australian Awards for University Teaching criteria, they created a vital pathway for legal educators pursuing national recognition and fellowships, while their commitment to equity ensured diverse representation in assessment panels. Their leadership extended further in 2024 with the establishment of the LEAD Peer Review of Teaching (PRoT) Program, providing cross-institutional professional development support and filling a critical gap for legal educators nationally. This achievement exemplifies visionary leadership that builds sustainable communities of practice and creates meaningful pathways for academic recognition.