We are very proud to announce that Debra Parker, Founding Partner of Parker Coles Curtis, has been awarded the 2025 ACT Law Society Award for Leadership and Excellence in Family Law and Dispute Resolution by the society’s President, Vik Sundar.

This prestigious recognition celebrates Debra’s extraordinary contributions to the legal profession over more than three decades. A pioneer of the alternative dispute resolution (ADR) movement in Canberra since the early 1990s, Debra is the only legal practitioner in the ACT to hold dual accreditation as both a Family Law Specialist and a Dispute Resolution Specialist (NSW Law Society), a distinction that speaks volumes about her expertise and commitment to achieving fair, balanced outcomes for families navigating separation.

Since 2014, the ACT Law Society Awards have recognised individual legal practitioners that have demonstrated significant personal and professional contributions to the improvement of law and justice in the community. This year saw the award categories being revamped and Debra is the one of the inaugural award winners which puts her alongside previous prestigious ACT Law Society President’s Medal award winners.

Throughout her remarkable career, Debra has worn many hats: solicitor, judicial registrar, partner, mentor, board member, advocate, and community leader. Her trajectory has not only shaped the landscape of family law in the ACT but has also paved the way for many others, particularly women and emerging practitioners, to step into leadership with confidence.

From courtroom to community: a career of influence

Debra’s professional journey began at Snedden Hall & Gallop, where she became the firm’s first female partner in 1991, a significant milestone at a time when leadership roles for women in law were still rare. She went on to serve as Judicial Registrar in the Family Court and Federal Circuit Court for over a decade, presiding over more than 2,500 mediations and developing a deep understanding of how to achieve resolution from both sides of the bench.

She returned to private practice as a Partner at Watts McCray Lawyers, before co-founding Parker Coles Curtis in 2020—during the height of the COVID lockdown. Under her leadership, the firm has become a highly regarded and values-driven practice, combining legal excellence with compassion, innovation, and trauma-informed care.

In the past year alone, Debra has resolved over 110 family law matters, built a loyal client base reflected in over 50 five-star Google reviews, and mentored countless junior lawyers and law students. She continues to play an instrumental role in developing the next generation of family law professionals through formal university mentoring programs and internships with both ANU and UC.

Recognised across Australia, and the world

Debra’s contribution to family law extends well beyond Canberra. She is a Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL), a global network of elite family law practitioners—and currently serves as the ACT representative on the national board of AIFLAM (Australian Institute of Family Law Arbitrators and Mediators). Her ongoing commitment to collaborative practice, mediation, arbitration, and education continues to shape national policy and best-practice standards.

She has been consistently recognised in Doyle’s Guide as a leading mediator and leading family lawyer has been named a finalist in numerous national awards, including:

• Lawyers Weekly Partner of the Year – 2022, 2023 & 2024
• Australasian Law Awards – Mediator of the Year 2023 & 2024
• Canberra Business Woman of the Year 2023
• Elite Women of the Year 2023 & 2024

In addition, Debra is a proud advocate for social justice, having held roles and contributed to organisations such as the Women’s Legal Centre, Karinya House, Menslink, DVCS, Hands Across Canberra, and Roundabout Canberra. Her passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion assisted Parker Coles Curtis to become the inaugural winner of the Champions of Pride Award from Lawyers Weekly in 2023.

Leading with purpose, heart, and balance

Debra’s leadership style is defined by her fierce intelligence, practical wisdom, and deep empathy. Her ability to balance strategic legal advocacy with compassion has not only changed lives, it has reshaped how family law is practiced.

She has done all of this while raising three children, spending five years abroad on diplomatic posting in Paris, and contributing to countless school and community initiatives. From netball coach and P&C member to national board director and legal thought leader, Debra’s story is one of resilience, integrity, and unwavering service.

This award is a fitting tribute to someone who has devoted her life’s work to helping others rebuild theirs.

Congratulations, Debra, your leadership, legacy, and heart continue to inspire us all.