Do legal awards matter? Here’s why we think they do.
When you’re facing criminal charges, choosing the right lawyer is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make. But if you’re not a lawyer yourself, how do you separate real expertise from empty marketing? One clue can come from an unexpected place: industry awards.
What are legal awards, really?
Legal awards are more than just shiny plaques or LinkedIn posts. They are formal recognition from within the legal industry; often judged by panels of senior lawyers, academics, magistrates, and industry experts.
There are awards for advocacy. For leadership. For innovation. For mentoring. For ethics. For wellness. And for excellence in criminal law practice. To be nominated, and particularly to be named a finalist or winner, often requires a rigorous assessment of not only your performance, but also your contributions to the legal profession, and your outcomes for clients.
In short, they recognise not only what you do, but how you do it.
What Do Awards Say About a Law Firm?
An award-winning firm isn’t just one that gets results, it’s one that leads. Awards can tell you that a lawyer or firm is:
- Respected by peers. Nominees are often nominated by others in the profession or reviewed by a judging panel of experts.
- Consistent in performance. Awards often require demonstration of excellence over time, not just in one big case.
- Client-focused. Many awards now include client impact as a judging factor, meaning feedback and outcomes matter.
- Ethical and professional. Nominees often need to show high standards, not just wins.
- Innovative. With legal tech and modern practice management in the spotlight, awards reflect who’s evolving and improving.
Awards and Emma Turnbull Lawyers
At Emma Turnbull Lawyers, we don’t seek awards for vanity. We are, however, proud of the recognition we’ve received because it reflects the hard work we’ve put in for our clients and the profession.
Some highlights include:
Partner of the Year Awards
- Winner: Wellness advocate of the Year
- Finalist: Partner of the Year – Criminal Law
Australian Law Awards
- Finalist: Partner of the Year – Criminal Law
- Finalist: Managing Partner of the Year
- Finalist: Innovator of the Year
Women in Law Awards
- Finalist: Mentor of the Year
- Finalist: Wellness Advocate of the Year
- Finalist: Innovator of the Year
Doyle’s Guide
- ETL has been acknowledged as a leading criminal law firm annually since the firm’s inclusion in the list in 2015
- Multiple team members listed as Leading Criminal Defence Lawyers in Victoria
- Rising Star awards have gone to multiple ETL criminal lawyers.
ACQ Global Awards
- Winner: Partner of the Year
What You Should Look For
Awards don’t win cases. Lawyers do. But when a firm or lawyer has been recognised repeatedly, across multiple areas, by multiple judging panels, it tells you something important: this is a firm that performs.
Clients can be reassured when they know their lawyer is not only experienced but recognised at the top of their profession, by their profession.
It can also help you compare firms. If one lawyer has industry-recognised awards in advocacy and another does not, that could guide your decision. This is especially so if you’re dealing with a serious or complex matter where experience really matters.
When choosing a criminal lawyer, don’t just rely on awards. Look at:
- Their specialisation. Are they a criminal law specialist?
- Their Google reviews. What do actual clients say?
- Their courtroom experience. Do they appear regularly in the courts relevant to your matter?
- Their communication. Are they clear, honest, and available?
- Their leadership. Are they someone the profession trusts and respects?
Awards are one helpful signal in the mix, especially when they confirm what you see in the firm’s outcomes and client service.
Why it matters at ETL
Emma Turnbull Lawyers is not just an award-winning firm, we’re a relentlessly client-focused one. We pride ourselves on strong advocacy, straight-talking advice, and fighting for our clients when it matters most. Our awards reflect the values we live by every day in court.
Whether it’s a high-stakes bail application, a complex jury trial, or a sensitive IVO matter, we bring courtroom strategy, specialist knowledge, and compassion to every case.
We believe the people who need a criminal lawyer deserve the best. And we do everything in our power to deliver that.