Last week we introduced a new award at Penderlaw in memory of our much loved colleague Melissa Polglase who tragically passed away in 2023. The award will be given to recognise the hard work, achievements and contribution of team members at Penderlaw at our firm wide meetings. The first recipient was Tegan Pownall who worked closely with Melissa in our Disputes and Litigation team.

Those who had the privilege of knowing and working with Mel will know that she was a complete force of nature. A formidable litigator! Passionate about her work, her clients and her colleagues, and someone who brought an incredible energy to everything she did.

The award itself is a Jo Downs handmade glass ornament and represents Mel through its orange and blue colours: orange for the fiery litigator she was, and blue for her free spirit and love of the sea.

We hope that, through this award, we can continue her legacy within the firm by celebrating the qualities she embodied and recognising those in the firm who have gone above and beyond, achieved a particular milestone, or who we feel we simply couldn’t do without.