The Australian Insurance Law Association (AILA) has launched its 2025 Young Professionals Public Speaking Competition, inviting early-career professionals in insurance and insurance law to participate.
The initiative is designed to foster communication skills and industry engagement among those aged 35 and under.
To enter, candidates must select a topic relevant to the insurance industry and submit an online application by 5pm on July 25.
From the pool of applicants, 30 will be chosen to attend a complimentary public speaking workshop delivered online by the Australian Institute of Management (AIM) on Aug. 5. After this session, a shortlist of finalists will be announced on Aug. 26.
The final stage of the competition will see three participants receive additional coaching – totalling six hours – before they present their topics at a live event in Melbourne on Oct. 15.
The presentations will be evaluated by a panel of industry judges and attended by insurance professionals from across the sector.
This year’s competition features a first prize of $5,000, with further awards for the runners-up.
AILA national board secretary Andrew Lillico noted that the program’s main advantage is the professional development it offers.
“The education and practice of coming up with an influential argument on something and presenting it in a concise way is hugely beneficial,” he said. “The Young Professionals Public Speaking Competition is a great way for those new to the industry to be involved in AILA – I think it’s one of the few programs that doesn’t really look at just the law.”
The competition was established in memory of Ron Shorter, a former practice manager at Colin Biggers & Paisley Lawyers and a long-standing supporter of AILA.
Shorter was recognised for his mentorship of young professionals and his emphasis on the importance of public speaking for career advancement in insurance.
Since the competition began in 2012, more than 600 young professionals have participated – gaining practical experience in public speaking and expanding their professional networks within the insurance community.
During its 2024 national conference, held from Sept. 11 to 13 at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, AILA revealed the recipients of the Ron Shorter Award for public speaking.
Eliza Sinclair of Wotton + Kearney received the top honour for her presentation, which examined the effects of the current cost of living crisis on the insurance market.
Sinclair’s talk used hypothetical characters to highlight the complexities of risk assessment. She was awarded $1,000 and the Ron Shorter Award trophy.
Adam Cass from Sparke Helmore Lawyers was named runner-up, earning $500, while Tess Douglas of MinterEllison placed third and received $250.
