Life Membership

Life membership is the highest accolade that ANZSLA may confer upon one of its members for "distinguished service to the Association over a period of at least 5 years." 

Such is the esteem that the award is held that ANZSLA has to date only two life members, being Mr Hayden Opie and Mr Brian Doyle. Both Hayden and Brian have made enormous contributions to what ANZSLA is today.

In 1990 Hayden was the person who was most instrumental in the creation of ANZSLA by calling together sports lawyers from either side of the Tasman for a dinner at Melbourne University in 1990 and it was at that dinner that ANZSLA was born. Hayden served as President of ANZSLA and Editor of the ANZSLA Newsletter (as The Commentator then was known) for the first 8 years of ANZSLA's existence.  For a more detailed biography of Hayden click here.

Brian took over the reigns as ANZSLA President after Hayden retired from the position, having been a member of ANZSLA since shortly after its inception.  Brian's achievements in sports law are many and including as an adviser and advocate in numerous high profile sports law matters. For a brief over view of some of Brian's recent achievements go here.

To assist the sport and sports law industry, in 2004 ANZSLA introduced an award to recognize members who have made substantial contributions to the development, integrity and professionalism of the sport and sports law industry.  ANZSLA does not intend to award this award every year, such is the distinguished nature the award is intended to hold. 

To download a nomination form, click here.

Award Winners:

2004 - the Honorable Robert Ellicott QC. A summary of his achievements can be seen here.

2006 - David Howman, Director General World Anti Doping Authority. A summary of his achievements can be seen here.

This award is given to the person judged as submitting the best academic paper on a sports law topic each year in accordance with the competition criteria.

The award was named after Paul at the 2001 ANZSLA Conference, in memory of a dedicated and inaugural ANZSLA member who was best known as both a legal advisor and sporting administrator. 

Paul acted for most of the sporting clubs and organisations in the Newcastle area, and much of the work he did was on a voluntary/pro bono basis.  He was granted life membership of a number of these organisations, was a Papal Knight and a year prior to his death was named the St. Thomas Moore Society Lawyer of the Year. He was jointly responsible for the holding of regular meetings of ANZSLA members and other lawyers with sporting interests for several years and played a great part in the organisation of the very successful 1997 Annual ANZSLA conference in Newcastle.

The judging panel consists of a carefully selected group of respected individuals in the world of Sport and the Law.

In 2005 and 2006 the judges were Brian Doyle formerly partner of Turnbull Hill Lawyers, Director of the Academy of International Sports Lawyers and Practitioners and an ANZSLA life member, Deborah Healey, Solicitor and Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Law at the University of New South Wales, and Andy Gibson Academic and ANZSLA Board Member.

This award has been generously sponsored by CCH.

For further information about the award, follow this link. For eligibility conditions, follow this link.