Eliza Sinclair (pictured) from Wotton + Kearney has been named the winner of the 2024 Ron Shorter Award, presented by the Australian Insurance Law Association (AILA).
The announcement was made during AILA’s annual national conference, Sunny Side Up, held from Sept. 11 to 13 at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The Ron Shorter Award, named in honour of Ron Shorter, a former practice manager at Colin Biggers & Paisley Lawyers, was established to promote excellence in public speaking within the insurance profession.
Shorter, who passed away in 2012, was a long-time advocate for AILA and a mentor to many in the industry.
In May 2024, AILA opened applications for its 2024 Ron Shorter Award, inviting young professionals aged 35 or under, or with less than five years of industry experience, to apply. To enter, participants were required to submit a proposed speech topic related to insurance by June 7.
Up to 30 participants were selected to take part in a free, 90-minute public speaking workshop on June 28, led by the Australian Institute of Management (AIM). After the workshop, the participants delivered a two-minute speech to AIM and AILA representatives, and from there, three finalists were chosen.
The finalists proceeded to the competition’s final round in Brisbane on Sept. 10. In this stage, they presented a 10-minute speech on their selected topic to a panel of judges, vying for prizes of $1,000, $500, and $250 for first, second, and third places, respectively.
The award was sponsored by Colin Biggers & Paisley Lawyers, with Dever’s List and Jarm (Fire, Consulting, Adjusting) providing sponsorship for the prize pool.
The winner, Sinclair, presented “Cozzie Living! The Impact of the Current Cost of Living Crisis on the Insurance Market.” The presentation used fictional characters to illustrate the challenges of risk profiling. Sinclair received $1,000 and the Ron Shorter Award trophy.
Adam Cass of Sparke Helmore Lawyers placed second, earning $500. MinterEllison’s Tess Douglas secured third place and received $250.
The judging panel, which included the Honourable Martin Daubney AM KC, highlighted the exceptional quality of the presentations.
Daubney said that the final decision was difficult, noting that each finalist demonstrated advanced public speaking skills. He called the event a “master class” in professional presentation.
“Every person had the privilege of effectively participating in a master class in three very different styles of public speaking, each of which was effective absolutely to the nth degree of top professional standards,” he said.
AILA president Melanie Quixley, who is also a principal at Barry Nilsson Lawyers, emphasised the competition’s value in helping young professionals develop the public speaking skills necessary for career advancement.
“I’m absolutely astounded by the quality and the polish that the young professionals that compete show, despite nerves and having to stand up in front of a computer screen or here in a room,” she said.
She added that the event provided participants with a platform to showcase their abilities before industry leaders.
