The 2025 Australasian Lawyer and NZ Lawyer list of Elite Women in Law has once again celebrated the profession’s trailblazers, women who have not only excelled in their legal careers but also paved the way for others in a field still struggling to achieve gender equity in leadership.
Among this year’s honourees is Eugenia Mitrakas, Managing Partner at EMR Mitrakas Lawyers, recognised for a groundbreaking career that has spanned over five decades.
A pioneering force for women and multicultural representation in law
When Eugenia Mitrakas opened her South Melbourne practice in 1972, she became the first Greek female solicitor in Australia, a historic milestone achieved only five months after her admission to practice.
Her entry into the profession marked the beginning of a career defined by service, leadership, and innovation. From her early years representing migrant families navigating property, family, and inheritance law, to her later advocacy for women’s representation in the profession, Mitrakas has embodied both compassion and courage.
The daughter of a family from a mountain village on Lesvos, Mitrakas credits her father’s encouragement for guiding her toward law. Over the years, she not only established a respected multicultural practice but also became the first woman elected to the Law Institute of Victoria Council, and later the first woman to chair Victoria’s Legal Admissions Board.
Five decades of service and community impact
Her firm, EMR Mitrakas, became a trusted pillar of Melbourne’s Greek community, providing legal services that bridged cultural and linguistic divides. Admitted in both England and Wales, Mitrakas also serves as a Notary Public appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
“I have always mentored and inspired young women in law, both formally and informally,” she says, a commitment reflected in her decades-long sponsorship of the annual Legal Prize at MacRobertson Girls’ High School.
She has led with a deep sense of responsibility to community. As the founder of the Greek/Australian International Legal and Medical Conferences, she has organised 17 events, 14 in Greece and three in Melbourne, directing more than $500,000 in donations to charities in both countries.
Her service has been recognised with the Medal of the Order of Australia and by the Centre for Ecumenical Hellenism in Athens for her extensive pro bono work.
Beyond her professional milestones, Mitrakas continues to mentor young lawyers and advocate for structural reforms such as equal pay, childcare support, and flexible work arrangements for women in law.
“I wish to be remembered as a lawyer who devoted her life to serving the disadvantaged and the legal profession,” Mitrakas said.
Other Elite Women honoured
Lisa Taliadoros. Photo: Supplied
Also named among the 2025 Elite Women are Greek Australian legal leaders Lisa Taliadoros and Jo Zaharopoulos, recognised for her ethical leadership and commitment to sustainability and equality in the workplace.
Lisa Taliadoros, Partner-in-Charge at Jones Day Melbourne and Head of Intellectual Property for Australia, began her career as a virologist before bringing scientific precision to the courtroom. With expertise in complex patent disputes involving biotechnology and medical innovation, she has become a leading voice in intellectual property law. Drawing on her Italian heritage and STEM background, she champions authenticity, inclusion, and mentorship within the legal profession. Her leadership blends intellect and empathy, inspiring the next generation of women lawyers to succeed on their own terms.
Jo Zaharopoulos, General Counsel and Head of ESG at Probe Group, brings over two decades of in-house legal experience to her leadership role. Known for her integrity and strategic insight, she oversees compliance, sustainability, and ethical governance across the organisation. A 2022 In-House Leaders honouree and former Women in Law award winner, she advocates for inclusion and balance in the profession while leading by example as a working mother of two.
Jo Zaharopoulos. Photo: Supplied
Joining Mitrakas and Taliadoros and Zaharopoulos on the winners’ list are the following:
Anne Frances O’Donoghue
Maria Masterantonio
Alissa Bell
Anna Fox
Bettina Sheeran
Catherine Merity
Clare Batrouney
Elizabeth Carroll
Karilyn Canton
Maria Clarke
Vanessa Simons
Wendy Evans
