Queenstown-based commercial property specialist Kerry O'Donnell has been named the ''best in real estate'' at the Australasian Women in Business Law Awards.
Ms O'Donnell, who is an Anderson Lloyd partner-owner in Queenstown, attended the awards function in Sydney.
She was thrilled with the recognition, saying some ''significant'' firms were represented and it was great to get selected by her peers, she said.
Ms O'Donnell, who focuses on property and project development, has worked at Anderson Lloyd for all her law career.
Admitted to the Bar in 2002, she has been involved in various major projects in the Queenstown area over the past decade, including Jacks Point, Lake Hayes Estate, Shotover Country and Threepwood.
She believed her success in the awards was because of the ''pretty unique'' work situation.
Queenstown was a great location and there were some very good projects to work on, but it was not in the mould of working for a ''mega-firm'' based in the CBD of a major city.
She loved her work, particularly the creative process, Ms O'Donnell said.
Law could sometimes be combative and assisting people could be a difficult process in some other areas of law.
But working in property was about creating wealth and realising a vision, particularly regarding the bigger projects, she said.
Her work was wide-ranging, from buying and selling real estate, to development projects and commercial leasing, she said.
Anderson Lloyd was also named best Australasian firm for talent management and best firm in Christchurch at the awards.
The annual awards recognised firms for gender diversity, innovation, mentoring, work-life balance, pro bono work and talent management.
Anderson Lloyd chief executive Richard Greenaway said the firm was proud of its long-standing reputation for promoting and supporting women into senior roles.
