Prof Nicole Watson Wins CALD Research Excellence Award for Indigenous Legal Research

The Indigenous Law and Justice Hub is proud to celebrate Hub Director, Professor Nicole Watson, who has been awarded the Council of Australian Law Deans (CALD) Research Excellence Award for Indigenous Legal Research.

Professor Nicole Watson - Director of the Hub

Professor Watson, Director of the Indigenous Law and Justice Hub, received the award jointly with Professor Heather Douglas AM for their co-edited book, Legal Education through an Indigenous Lens: Decolonising the Law School. The collection brings together original research from 15 First Nations scholars and others across 16 chapters, offering a significant resource for law students and educators seeking to embed Indigenous perspectives into legal education. The methodology behind the project was developed in part through workshops with contributors.

Professor Watson's expertise spans law and policy affecting Indigenous communities, with a particular focus on Indigenous peoples' participation in legal education. She is also Chief Investigator and DAATSIA Fellow on the ARC-funded project Raising the Bar: Learning from the Life Stories of Indigenous Lawyers.

The award was announced at the CALD Academic Awards gala, held as part of the Australasian Law Academics Association (ALAA) Conference hosted by Melbourne Law School at The Rydges, Melbourne, on 2 July 2026. The gala capped a three-day conference exploring the theme Educating the Reflective Lawyer: Human Wisdom in an Automated Age, drawing hundreds of scholars and legal experts.

Dean Michelle Foster congratulated Professor Watson and her fellow MLS award recipients, describing the honour as recognition of the "stellar contribution" they continue to make to Melbourne Law School and the wider Australian community.

The Hub congratulates our Director Professor Watson on this well-deserved recognition of her leadership and scholarship in advancing Indigenous perspectives in legal education!