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2013 Golden Gavel Competition

Take a few brave young lawyers, add humorous topics, an appreciative audience... and you have the annual Golden Gavel competition.

Hosted by NSW Young Lawyers, and generously supported by Sparke Helmore Lawyers and Taylor Root, 500 guests will fill the Grand Ballroom of the Westin on Friday 17 May. Between 7.30am and 9.30am the competitors will entertain the guests, over breakfast, with their allocated topics in the hope that they will become the proud owner of this years’ Golden Gavel. Click here to register.

Visit our Facebook page, click ‘Like’ to receive updates and view some of the competition speeches from previous events.

About the Golden Gavel

Established in 1993, this public speaking competition features legal topics and is open to all NSW Young Lawyer members (lawyers up to 36 years of age or five years post admission) and law students. It is a great opportunity for young or aspiring lawyers to showcase their advocacy skills in a popular and well received event.

The Honourable Michael Kirby AC CMG will preside over the competition and Sparke Helmore Lawyers will present the People’s Choice Award. The judges will hear from ten competitors. Each competitor is provided with a topic 24 hours before the event and is given five minutes to argue their case. The speeches are usually insightful, brilliant and always entertaining. A winner is awarded the 2013 Golden Gavel trophy and goes on to represent NSW in the National Competition.

About our sponsors

Sparke Helmore Lawyers
Sparke Helmore is an integrated national law firm providing specialist services to national and multinational corporations and Australian governments. The Firm’s core business is in commercial, Commonwealth government, insurance and workplace relations law, with a focus on the financial services, construction, health, manufacturing, mining and resources, property, retail and transport industries. The Firm has 54 partners, nearly 300 lawyers and around 600 staff.

Taylor Root
Taylor Root is the world’s leading legal recruitment firm, with offices throughout the UK, the Far East, the Middle East and Australia. Their reputation is built on the performance of specialist teams of recruiters who pride themselves on providing honest, professional and effective advice to clients and candidates alike.
Taylor Root first opened in the 1990s in Sydney and now also has a thriving Melbourne office. They recruit in four principal markets namely private practice, in-house, compliance and international. Their client base includes all large, medium and boutique sized law firms, major local and international banking & financial services organisations and blue-chip multinational companies.

Past winners

2012

The winner of the 2012 Golden Gavel Competition was Joel Cook of McCabe Terrill Lawyers with his topic, Small bars and fast cars - the cruisy road to partnership. The runner up was Candice Berger of Somerville Legal with her topic, Mad men and angry women - where have all the happy lawyers gone? The People's Choice Award was presented by sponsor Sparke Helmore Lawyers and Michael Connor of DibbsBarker received this award with his topic, "I'm a tax lawyer!" Pick up lines that are bound to work.

Last years’ winning speeches are available for viewing on the Golden Gavel Facebook page.

2011

The winner of the 2011 Golden Gavel Competition was Charles Ashton with his speech The Royal Wedding – from a divorce lawyer’s perspective. The runner up was Sam Sykes with his speech Snakes and Ladders- the path to partnership.

2010

Gavin Hollamby from Landers & Rogers was the winner with his speech, Why my firm should/shouldn't conduct its own reality TV show. The runner-up was Jay Buckley from Goodman Fielder with his speech, Innocent till proven guilty: things you should never admit to.