Law Society Mentor of the Year
BY LSJ STAFF - DEC 07, 2022 6:00 AM AEDT
The Law Society’s mentoring program is one of our most subscribed programs, with hundreds of mentoring pairs completing the program each year. This award recognises one mentor who goes above and beyond for their mentee, selflessly giving their time, wisdom and support to other members of the profession.
2022 Winner: Michelle Lau, Principal Lawyer and Founder, Blue Space Legal
Selection of a single recipient for this award is not an easy task, given the high numbers of mentor/mentee pairs in the Law Society’s mentoring program. But in Michelle Lau the judges saw a clear winner, recognising her as an asset given her commitment to her mentees and to the legal community in general. They describe her as “a great listener who challenges her mentees to be the best version of themselves and tackles her own challenges with confidence”. Lau exemplifies the criteria for this award: someone who goes above and beyond for their mentee, selflessly giving their time, wisdom and support to other members of the profession.
Lau’s dedication to her mentees is evident in her ongoing support for them, including for past participants in the mentoring program, whom she often accompanies on the mentoring journey well beyond the duration of the program. She is generous with her time, often giving many hours to her mentees, and at short notice, and she is equally generous with sharing her own experiences and learnings, including the journey of moving from in-house counsel to sole practitioner.
In addition to her deep commitment, Michelle brings rich and diverse experience to the role of mentor.
A solicitor for more than 20 years, and Principal Lawyer at Blue Space Legal, she is also an international mediator and was previously a senior media executive in WarnerMedia’s Asia Pacific business (formerly Time Warner).
Her roles have included advising on strategic media partnerships and on corporate structure, and managing legal teams and critical stakeholders.
Lau has been extolled by colleagues and business partners alike for both her leadership and her teamwork skills. She has been described, variously, as “a flexible thinker”, “a true leader”, “collaborative and knowledgeable”, and “a wonderful human being, a selfless part of a team”. These qualities combine to make her an ideal role model as a mentor.
The Law Society of New South Wales, President and Council congratulate Michelle Lau on this achievement.