Best Lawyers - Ones to Watch in Australia (2026 Edition)

We are pleased to announce that four of our lawyers, Nicole Mead, Sam de Cure, Jessica Punch and Annabel Nettle have been recognised in the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Australia.

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Australia highlights up-and-coming lawyers who are already demonstrating outstanding professional excellence.

It’s great to see our firm’s rising talent recognised among this impressive group.

Nicole has been recognised in the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch Australia for her work in Litigation.

Nicole is a senior associate in our disputes team.

Nicole joined DMAW Lawyers as part of the firm’s summer clerkship program before being admitted as a lawyer in 2016.

Nicole has worked on a wide variety of disputes for corporate clients, ranging from small debt recoveries to large commercial disputes. Nicole also advises clients with respect to contractual, workplace, insolvency and regulatory compliance matters.

Nicole’s competition law experience includes the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission in respect of formal information requests, authorisation for acquisitions/mergers, and proceedings relating to small business unfair contract terms.

Congratulations Nicole!

Check out Nicole's Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch Australia profile here.

Sam has been recognised in the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch Australia for his work in Alternative Dispute Resolution, Insolvency and Reorganisation Law and Litigation.

Sam is a senior associate in our disputes team.

Sam has extensive experience working on complex commercial litigation matters in many Australian jurisdictions.

Sam advises clients about corporate and personal insolvency, and about their interactions with state and federal regulatory bodies.

Sam also has significant experience advising and representing insolvency practitioners, creditors and businesses in proceedings under the Corporations Act and about the insolvency process generally.

Congratulations Sam!

Check out Sam's Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch Australia profile here.

Jessica has been recognised in the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch Australia for her work in Litigation.

Jessica is a senior associate in our disputes team.

Jessica advises a range of clients across different industry sectors, varying from smaller entities, individuals and families through to larger private entities and ASX listed companies.

Jessica approaches each matter with a client centred approach and a focus on achieving a commercial outcome.

She has experience working on a diverse range of disputes, with particular experience in:

• construction law disputes, including regularly providing advice to builders involved in disputes relating to work performed under building agreements;
• competition and consumer law claims under the Australian Consumer Law; and
• contractual and business-related disputes.

Jessica also has experience in complex commercial litigation, having worked on a number of significant actions in the higher courts.

In addition, Jessica has experience in assisting clients resolve their disputes through various alternative dispute resolution processes.

Congratulations Jessica!

Check out Jessica's Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch Australia profile here.

Annabel has been recognised in the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch Australia for her work in Insolvency and Reorganisation Law.

Annabel is an associate in our disputes team.

She assists with a wide range of litigious and non-litigious commercial matters, with a particular focus on bankruptcy, corporate insolvency, debt recovery and intellectual property law.

Annabel regularly works with insolvency practitioners and clients to advise them in relation to people or companies in financial distress.

Congratulations Annabel!

Check out Annabel's Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch Australia profile here.