09 May 2008
Perth, 9 May 2008: Clayton Utz lawyer Anna Rakoczy has been named Lawyer of the Year[1] by the Law Society of Western Australia during the State's inaugural Law Week which kicked off this Monday.
Presented by the President of the Law Society of Western Australia Dudley Stow, the Award recognises legal practitioners making a significant contribution to the WA legal profession and community.
Anna has worked at Clayton Utz for almost four and a half years and is a member of the Perth commercial litigation team. She has participated in the firm's Community Connect[2] program for much of her time at the firm, including acting as co-ordinator of the Perth Community Connect committee for approximately two and a half years.
In her role as Community Connect Coordinator, Anna has co-ordinated and assisted in the organisation of dozens of charity events within Clayton Utz.
Over the past two years, Anna has also served as legal adviser and mentor on the Committee of True Blue Dreaming, a youth and community development program for 12 to 18 years olds living in rural and remote Australian communities.
Through the Community Connect program Anna travelled to the Tiwi Islands, north of Darwin, earlier this year as part of a group of Clayton Utz staff to help run a holiday program for Aboriginal children with the Red Cross in the remote community of Milikapiti.
Both the Red Cross (Darwin) and True Blue Dreaming are community partners of Clayton Utz and received grants from the Clayton Utz Foundation in 2007 to enable them to run various community programs.
Anna has also volunteered at the Law Society of WA Law Week for the past three years, participating in school visits to inform high school students about their legal rights and responsibilities.
Commenting on Anna's award, Clayton Utz Perth managing partner Geoff Simpson said: "Not only is Anna a great asset to Clayton Utz and the firm's Community Connect program but also to the broader community and the legal profession."
Anna said she was grateful for the opportunities her legal career had given her. "I am passionate about working as a commercial litigator and also about contributing to the community, especially to disadvantaged or at risk youth. I feel very fortunate that Clayton Utz has given me the opportunity to pursue and develop both passions, with the support and resources of the firm."
[1] Anna was the recipient of the Lawyer of the Year Award (less than five years practice experience) which is open to all members of the legal community who meet the eligibility criteria. A second award was presented to a lawyer with more than five years of experience.
[2] Community Connect is a national program run at Clayton Utz which enables staff to get involved in volunteering activities and to hold fundraising days for various charities or community partners.
