Australian Women Lawyers

What Australian Women Lawyers does

Australian Women Lawyers Limited (AWL) is the national peak body for women lawyers associations across Australia, established on 9 September 1997 in Melbourne and incorporated under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) as a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee (ACN 080 044 800). The organisation coordinates representation across nine constituent bodies covering every Australian state and territory (including the Women Barristers Association Victoria), with individual members of those constituent bodies automatically becoming AWL members. AWL's revenue is generated through annual capitation fees paid by constituent bodies pursuant to a Memorandum of Understanding, with direct membership also available to women lawyers outside the constituent body network.

AWL's service portfolio centres on advocacy, research, and professional community rather than technology products. Core offerings include policy submissions to law reform bodies and government, the biennial national conference (most recently 'Leading the Way' held 18–19 October 2024 at the Realm Hotel, Canberra), the AWL Award for lifetime achievement (sponsored by the Australian Government Solicitor), the 'Find a Woman Barrister or Lawyer' referral directory supporting equitable briefing, and proprietary research on Senior Counsel and judicial appointments. The organisation has no proprietary technology platform or product; its distribution operates through the constituent body network, website, email communications, Facebook, and earned media commentary.

Governance rests with a volunteer board comprising representatives from each State and Territory women lawyers association, with no external investors or parent company. AWL's patron is the Hon. Justice Jacqueline Gleeson of the High Court of Australia (appointed 2024, succeeding Diana Bryant AO QC, who succeeded founding patron Justice Mary Gaudron QC). The organisation operates with a small staff of six employees and is regularly consulted by bodies including the Australian Human Rights Commission, the Law Council of Australia, and government inquiries. AWL's strategic plan 2025–2027 focuses on education, leadership, networking, and organisational sustainability.

Name

Australian Women Lawyers

Legal name

Australian Women Lawyers Limited

Website

https://australianwomenlawyers.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Australian Women Lawyers Limited is the national peak body for women lawyers associations across Australia, established in 1997. It coordinates advocacy, research, and professional networking through nine constituent bodies in every Australian state and territory.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Professional Association Services

NAICS

Legal Services (5411), Offices of Lawyers (54111)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Gender Equality & Women’s Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM)

Keywords

• Legal professional association
• Women lawyers advocacy
• Gender equity legal
• Policy submissions
• Professional networking

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: AWL is a peak body representing women lawyers across Australia. Individual members of constituent bodies are automatically members of AWL. Constituent bodies pay an annual capitation fee to AWL pursuant to a Memorandum of Understanding. Individual members who are not part of a Recognised Organisation may apply for direct membership.

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Australian Women Lawyers is a not-for-profit national peak body that represents women lawyers across Australia through nine constituent state and territory associations. It delivers membership representation, policy advocacy and submissions, gender-equity research, biennial national conferences, an annual AWL Award, and a referral directory linking clients to women barristers and lawyers.

Product overview

Australian Women Lawyers is a not-for-profit peak body organization (limited by guarantee) established in 1997, providing advocacy, networking, and research services for women in the Australian legal profession. The organization's service portfolio includes a Find a Woman Barrister or Lawyer referral service, biennial national conferences, the AWL Award for recognizing women's leadership, research publications on gender statistics in law, and policy submissions on key issues affecting women lawyers. AWL does not offer a technology product; rather it provides professional association services focused on advancing gender equality in the legal profession.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Find a Woman Barrister or Lawyer A referral directory resource connecting individuals with female lawyers and barristers across Australian states and territories, supporting equitable briefing practices and linking to constituent body directories.
• AWL National Conference A biennial national conference bringing together women lawyers for professional development, networking, and advocacy on gender equality in the legal profession. The 2024 conference 'Leading the Way' was held on 18-19 October at the Realm Hotel, Canberra, with Clayton Utz as Gold Sponsor.
• AWL Award An award recognising women who have provided long-term leadership and commitment in the support and advancement of women in the legal profession, conferred at the biennial national conference. The 2024 award, sponsored by the Australian Government Solicitor, was presented to Fleur Kingham.
• Policy Submissions and Advocacy Policy submissions and advocacy work on issues affecting women in the legal profession, including sexual harassment, the gender pay gap, flexible working, judicial diversity, and equitable briefing. AWL contributes to government inquiries (including the Australian Human Rights Commission's National Inquiry into Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces) and law reform bodies.
• AWL Research Publications Research publications on gender statistics in the Australian legal profession, including the 2012 Senior Counsel appointments study and the 2013 judicial officer appointments study, plus support for the National Attrition and Re-engagement Study (NARS).
• AWL Membership Membership in the national peak body, granted automatically to individual members of the nine state and territory constituent women lawyers associations, with constituent bodies paying annual capitation fees pursuant to a Memorandum of Understanding. Individual lawyers not in a Recognised Organisation may apply for direct membership.

Quantifiable outcome

• 49% of mothers reported experiencing discrimination in the workplace during pregnancy, parental leave, or upon return to work (Australian Human Rights Commission National Prevalence Survey, 2014)
• +4 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• Clayton UtzmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 October 2024Clayton Utz served as the Gold Sponsor of the 2024 AWL National Conference 'Leading the Way', held on 18-19 October at the Realm Hotel in Canberra. The firm's sponsorship contributed to the delivery of the biennial conference.
• Australian Government Solicitor (AGS)majorGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 October 2024Australian Government Solicitor was the sponsor of the 2024 AWL Award, presented to Fleur Kingham at the conference gala dinner. AGS's sponsorship supported the recognition of lifetime achievement by women in the legal profession.
• Victorian Legal Services BoardminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 October 2024Victorian Legal Services Board was a Bronze Sponsor of the 2024 AWL National Conference.
• College of LawminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 October 2024College of Law sponsored a session at the 2024 AWL National Conference.
• Elias RecruitmentGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 October 2024Elias Recruitment sponsored a session at the 2024 AWL National Conference.
• Power to Prevent CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2023AWL is a signatory to the Power to Prevent Coalition, a group of more than 60 diverse community organisations, unions, academics, peak bodies, health professionals, lawyers and victim-survivors advocating for an Equal Access costs model for discrimination matters. AWL is listed as signatory #9 of 79 organisations.
• Finlaysons LawyersminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 August 2022Finlaysons Lawyers hosted the 2023 AWL Annual General Meeting at their offices in Adelaide (Level 7/43 Franklin Street, Adelaide SA 5000), providing venue support for the hybrid in-person and virtual meeting.
• Law Council of AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAWL works with the Law Council of Australia on shared advocacy priorities including the National Attrition and Re-engagement Study (NARS), the Equitable Briefing Policy, and responses to Respect@Work recommendations. AWL is represented on national boards and committees alongside the Law Council.
• Australian Human Rights CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAWL participated in the AHRC's National Inquiry into Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces and made formal submissions. AWL also contributed to the National Review on Supporting Working Parents: Pregnancy and Return to Work (2014).

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Women Barristers Association Victoria: AWL constituent body specifically focused on women barristers in Victoria, with parallel focus on equitable briefing, advocacy, and member support — a directly comparable niche peer.
• National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL, USA): The US counterpart to AWL: a national membership organisation advocating for the advancement of women in the legal profession, with similar policy, networking, and recognition programming.
• National Association of Women and the Law (NAWL, Canada): Canadian feminist legal advocacy organisation that, like AWL, advances gender equality in and through the law — covering issues such as pay equity, harassment, and representation in the profession.
• Women Lawyers Association of Queensland: AWL constituent body representing women lawyers in Queensland, offering parallel membership, advocacy, and continuing legal education services at the state level.
• Victorian Women Lawyers: One of AWL's nine constituent bodies, representing women lawyers in Victoria. It operates the same professional-association mission within a single state, with overlapping leadership and event programming.
• Women Lawyers Association of NSW: Another AWL constituent body, serving women lawyers in NSW. It runs comparable advocacy, networking, and awards programmes within its state jurisdiction.

Broad incumbents

• Law Council of Australia: Australia's peak national body for the legal profession, with which AWL partners on Equitable Briefing Policy and NARS. It operates on overlapping policy issues but as a broader representative body for all lawyers, not just women.
• Australian Human Rights Commission: National statutory body that AWL engages with on sexual harassment and pregnancy/return-to-work inquiries. It operates as a much larger government-backed organisation that overlaps with AWL's policy agenda.
• International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA): Global federation of women lawyers' associations operating across multiple continents. It shares AWL's mission of advancing women in law but at an international rather than national scale.

Regional players

• Hong Kong Women Lawyers Association: A women lawyers association in another Asia-Pacific common-law jurisdiction, offering a directly comparable professional-association model with similar advocacy, networking, and policy aims.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AustralianWomenLawyers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/australian-women-lawyers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Australian Women Lawyers