One of Smokeball’s core values is "Caring is Not Optional." It's a principle that we see reflected every day by legal professionals across Australia who use their skills and knowledge of the law to go above and beyond to serve and enrich their communities. Many people in the legal community choose to spend their free time giving back to their local areas by doing pro bono work, supporting charities or community groups, driving sustainability initiatives, or campaigning to change laws for those whose voices are not being heard. Our Community Hero Award exists to shine a light on these remarkable individuals, who perform countless acts of kindness that make a real difference.
Since launching the Award in 2023, we've been humbled by the response from the legal community. Each year, we have seen more and more nominations pouring in from across Australia. This year, we received more than double what we received last year, demonstrating how passionate the community is about making a positive impact and celebrating those who do. While we're thrilled to see so many deserving individuals nominated, it has made narrowing the field down to just five finalists an incredibly difficult task.
We are proud to announce our five finalists for the 2026 Community Hero Award. Listed in alphabetical order:
As Founder, CEO, and Principal of New Way Lawyers, Carolyn pioneered Australia's first non-profit law firm, creating a third model of legal service provision for those who don't qualify for government funding but cannot afford private legal costs. For more than 15 years, her firm has served over 10,000 individuals with legal advice and representation. In 2019, Carolyn launched Lunch with a Lawyer, a free online service where each weekday, a lawyer from her firm spends their lunch break answering questions and providing legal information to members. Lunch with a Lawyer now serves over 9,000 users with over 2,400 questions answered annually.
In 2025, she helped to launch the Safe and Supported at Work Program in partnership with Relationship Matters, providing domestic violence victims access to legal advice and counselling through employer-funded Employee Assistance Programs, an initiative launched by the Assistant Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence.
“Carolyn inspires others and upholds the values of honesty and integrity. She is admired by her peers, team and clients alike and would be a fitting Smokeball Community Hero.”
Whilst completing her Bachelor of Laws and Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice, and working part-time at The Family Law Co, Lauren co-founded The Rainbow Roundtable, a nationally recognised youth-led initiative focused on LGBTQIA+ education and cultural safety, particularly for regional, rural, and remote communities. This involved a year-long consultation process with academics, First Nations leaders, disability advocates and more to ensure the resources would be culturally responsive, intersectional, and grounded in lived experience. Lauren is the Advocacy Officer for Pride in Law (NSW Chapter) and she launched the organisation's first monthly legal newsletter that serves as a vital resource for LGBTQIA+ lawyers, students, and allies. She has also coordinated major, statewide events that have help to create accessible spaces for nuanced legal dialogue.
As a Resource Coordinator at Voices of Influence, Lauren leads a team of researchers helping to democratise legal knowledge for young people. She co-authored a major submission to the UN on the right to housing and one to the NSW Law Reform Commission on freedom of expression in the digital era. She has also spend years volunteering to mentoring to law students, including specialised support for disabled law students.
“Lauren Devine dedicates her life (in addition to working part-time and studying) to strengthening access to justice, advancing inclusion, and empowering some of the most underrepresented groups in the legal and broader community.”
Milad provides pro bono legal support and acts as legal council for the Bakhtar Community Organisation, which provides aid, resources, and education to refugees, migrants, underrepresented communities, and vulnerable groups in Melbourne. Milad also helps newly arrived migrants and community members with preparing visa and housing applications, general legal advice and education, and helps to secure funding for youth and men's programs. He works with his local Karen community by offering legal advice, guidance, and education at local events. He has worked with organisations such as AFL Victoria and Melbourne City FC to host events to support non-English speaking people integrate into Australian culture.
Supporting his belief that everyone deserves a right to education, Milad is on the board of the River Nile School, a not-for-profit secondary school in Melbourne that supports young women from refugee backgrounds who didn’t get a chance to be educated. Furthermore, Milad continues to mentor young people and collaborate with grassroots organisations to build safer, fairer pathways for families in need.
“Milad’s genuine impact and tireless efforts make him a truly deserving local Hero.”
Rohani has dedicated over a decade to providing pro bono legal services, offering free Will services for the Salvation Army, Red Cross, and Cancer Council. In 2023, she founded Olivetree Legal with a strong commitment to community service and charitable giving. Her innovative Community WillPower event dedicates 100% of proceeds directly to local charities including The Babes Project, Sages Cottage, and St Vincent’s Institute for Medical Research, has raised over $20,000 in just two years.
Through sponsorship from her firm, Rohani has been able to provide financial support for local charities like Speak N Share, and she runs events to bring her community together, such as the successful “Getting Your House in Order” gingerbread house-making day this past December. Rohani and her firm are actively engaged with local carer groups and special schools, providing crucial assistance with VCAT matters and future-planning for families of people with disabilities.
“Rohani’s strong commitment to her community and the funds she has risen in support of multiple charities is an achievement befitting a Community Hero.”
Sarah is a surrogacy lawyer who was herself a surrogate in 2018. She was awarded the Order of Australia in 2023 for her work in law and contributions to the surrogacy community. In 2025, she received a Churchill Fellowship to research surrogacy legal frameworks internationally, publishing the influential report "For Love and Law" that directly informed the ALRC review of Australia's surrogacy laws. For the ALRC review, she also led a community engagement campaign that ensured over 200 submissions from people with lived experience were included in the review. Sarah founded the inaugural Fertility Law & Ethics Symposium in October 2025 and is working to establish the Aus-NZ Association of Fertility & Surrogacy Professionals.
Sarah is a leading voice for surrogacy law reform in Australia, and assists over 400 clients annually with arrangements. She has worked to educate the community at seminars and conferences across Australia and the Pacific, as well as through her published writing in books, legal journals, and news outlets.
“Everything Sarah does is for and with the community and her lived experience and professional knowledge are integral to her practice as a lawyer and her community involvement.”
We are incredibly excited to have such outstanding finalists this year. Each of these individuals and all of the nominations we received show how the legal community embodies the spirit of "Caring is Not Optional". They represents some of the very best of what the legal profession can achieve when it dedicates itself to serving others beyond the door of a firm.
The winner of the 2026 Community Hero Award will be announced at Spark 2026 on Friday, 20 February 2026. We can't wait to celebrate all five finalists and recognise the winner of this prestigious award. Stay tuned!
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