Deakin Law School is proud to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our 2025 Academic Excellence Prize winners, whose dedication and capability represent the hard work and talent that shape promising futures.

From exceptional students to future changemakers

At our annual prizes ceremony, we recognised three exceptional students whose academic excellence positions them for successful careers in the legal profession.

Supreme Court Prize

Mia Timpano received the prestigious Supreme Court Prize as the highest-ranked law student at Deakin, a distinction that places her among Victoria’s top legal graduates. She will join Clayton Utz’s Graduate Program in 2026, where she aims to combine legal practice with mentoring, teaching and scholarship.

Supreme Court Exhibition Prize

Harriet Bencic was awarded the Supreme Court Exhibition Prize for her outstanding thesis work and is now applying the practical skills she developed at community legal centres and the Office of Public Prosecutions in her role as a Graduate in the Australian Public Service.

Highest Ranking Graduating Juris Doctor Student

Lauren Taylor achieved the honour of Highest Ranking Graduating Juris Doctor Student and will soon commence her Practical Legal Training, bringing her experience in child protection and the Victorian court system to a legal career focused on family or criminal law.

 

Catalysts for positive change

At Deakin Law School, we strive to instill values of curiosity, integrity and community impact in all our students. These graduating students and our Dean’s Merit List cohort exemplify these values and are well-positioned to make meaningful contributions to the legal profession.

We extend our gratitude to our sponsors for investing in student excellence and supporting the next generation of legal professionals.

The Winners

Individual Unit Prizes

Property – Bachelor of Laws
Preanka Gounden
Sponsored by Arnold Bloch Leibler Lawyers and Advisers

Equity and Trusts – Bachelor of Laws
Mia Timpano
Sponsored by Arnold Bloch Leibler Lawyers and Advisers

Constitutional Law – Bachelor of Laws
Ethan Cullinan
Kushini Gunaratna
Sponsored by Arnold Bloch Leibler Lawyers and Advisers

Taxation – Juris Doctor & Bachelor of Laws
Lachlan McClure
Sponsored by Arnold Bloch Leibler Lawyers and Advisers

Legal Research and Statutory Interpretation – Bachelor of Laws
Tegan Debnam
Shaun Donald-Wilson
Sponsored by Leo Cussen Centre for Law

Contract B – Bachelor of Laws
Nicholas Thiele
Sponsored by Clayton Utz

Contract A – Bachelor of Laws
Tushar Gupta
Maggie Tucker
Sponsored by Clayton Utz

Family Law – Bachelor of Laws
Milica Dimitrijevic
Sponsored by Coulter Legal

Civil Procedure and Dispute Resolution – Bachelor of Laws
Lauren Lewis-Boxer
Sponsored by Baker McKenzie

Human Rights Law – Juris Doctor & Bachelor of Laws
Ruth Lerio
Tyson O’Shea
Sponsored by Australian Migration Lawyers

Family Law – Juris Doctor
Dharmarajen Kothandaraman
Callum Vandeloo
Sponsored by Perry Wood Solicitor

Administrative Law – Bachelor of Laws
Maria Joseph
Sponsored by Australian Institute of Administrative Law

Commercial Law – Bachelor of Laws
Grace Rooney
Sponsored by Harwood Andrews

Legal Communication and Ethical Decision Making – Bachelor of Laws
Ishnoor Gill
Sponsored by Law Institute of Victoria

Intellectual Property – Juris Doctor & Bachelor of Laws
Liam Murphy
Sponsored by Professor Jenni Lightowlers

Torts and Policy – Juris Doctor
Viktoria Hever
Sponsored by Margalit Injury Lawyers

Health Law – Juris Doctor & Bachelor of Laws
Alex Chamorro
Sponsored by Margalit Injury Lawyers

Legal Methods and Statutory Interpretation – Juris Doctor
Dr. Olga Panagiotopoulou
Sponsored by Victorian Government Solicitor’s Office

Personal Injuries Compensation Schemes – Juris Doctor & Bachelor of Laws
Katja Jansen
Giorgia Kalogeropoulos
Sponsored by WorkSafe Victoria

Workplace Law – Bachelor of Laws
Cory Lee
Sponsored by UniSuper

Succession Law – Juris Doctor & Bachelor of Laws
Cristina La Leggia
Sponsored by Denways Legal Conveyancing

Contract Law and Policy – Juris Doctor
Joyee Koay
Sponsored by Denways Legal Conveyancing

Land Law – Bachelor of Laws
Cory Lee
Sponsored by Denways Legal Conveyancing

Misleading Conduct and Economic Torts – Bachelor of Laws
Allan Basman
Sponsored by Geelong Law Association

Advanced Legal Problem Solving and Persuasion – Bachelor of Laws
Sophia White
Sponsored by Geelong Law Association

Corporate Insolvency Law – Juris Doctor & Bachelor of Laws
Sophia White
Sponsored by Geelong Law Association

Legal Practice and Ethics – Bachelor of Laws
Lili Burgess
Lauren Phillips
Sponsored by College of Law

Data Law, Privacy and Cybercrime – Juris Doctor & Bachelor of Laws
Joses Ming-en Teo
Sponsored by Deakin Centre for Law as Protection

International Commercial Law – Juris Doctor & Bachelor of Laws
Samuel Eaton
Sponsored by Ashurst

Criminal Procedure and Policy – Juris Doctor
Gus Lightowlers
Sponsored by Deakin Law School

Advanced Legal Analysis and Policy – Juris Doctor
Andree Wans
Sponsored by Deakin Law School

Civil Procedure and Alternative Dispute Resolution – Juris Doctor
Sanaa Ashktorab
Joses Ming-en Teo
Sponsored by Deakin Law School

Land Law and Policy – Juris Doctor
Joses Ming-en Teo
Sponsored by Deakin Law School

Evidence Law and Policy – Juris Doctor
Joses Ming-en Teo
Sponsored by Deakin Law School

Constitutional Law and Policy – Juris Doctor
Joses Ming-en Teo
Sponsored by Deakin Law School

Property Law and Policy – Juris Doctor
Joses Ming-en Teo
Sponsored by Deakin Law School

Trusts and Equitable Remedies – Juris Doctor
Stephan Enciso
Sponsored by Deakin Law School

Corporate Law and Policy – Juris Doctor
Stephan Enciso
Sponsored by Deakin Law School

Administrative Law and Policy – Juris Doctor
Naomi Riddell
Sponsored by Deakin Law School

Evidence – Bachelor of Laws
Chelsea Zafirakos
Sponsored by Deakin Law School

Criminal Law and Policy – Juris Doctor
Aatheesan Paransothy
Sponsored by Deakin Law School

Law of Misleading Conduct and Product Liability – Juris Doctor
Aatheesan Paransothy
India Ross-Lawson
Sponsored by Deakin Law School

Workplace Law – Juris Doctor
Samuel Eaton
Sponsored by Deakin Law School

Torts – Bachelor of Laws
Lauren Phillips
Sponsored by Deakin Law School

International Law – Juris Doctor & Bachelor of Laws
Mira Fenton
Aleksander Paris
Sponsored by Deakin Law School

Criminal Procedure – Bachelor of Laws
Jayde McIntosh
Sponsored by Deakin Law School

Criminal Law – Bachelor of Laws
Rory Ansori
Sponsored by Deakin Law School

Corporate Law – Bachelor of Laws
Eloise Graves
Sponsored by Deakin Law School

Commercial Law and Policy – Juris Doctor
Deanna Mak
Sponsored by Deakin Law School

Mining and Energy Law – Juris Doctor & Bachelor of Laws
Hannah Andrianopoulos
Sponsored by Deakin Law School

Legal Practice, Ethics and Policy – Juris Doctor
Caitlin Roberts
Sponsored by Deakin Law School

Honours Thesis Awards

Harriet Bencic
Patricia Papathanasopolous
Ruby Evans
Coby Lamont
Beth McDonald
Jude Mendes

Dean’s Merit List – Bachelor of Laws

Mia Timpano
Liz White
Adam Marshall
Paddy Gleeson
Alice Smith
Ysabeau Ellery-Slade
Chloe Hancock
Katja Jansen
Gary Watson
Jed Hull
Amanda Stevenson
Caroline Arman
Jade Stramacchia

Dean’s Merit List – Juris Doctor

Lauren Taylor
Andree Wans
Max Lim

Thank you

Deakin Law School extends its sincere appreciation to the sponsors of the 2025 Academic Excellence Prizes for their ongoing support.