Eliza is a Counsel in the Corporate Transactions team based in Melbourne, a role she has held since 2019. Eliza plays an integral part of the team both in the senior roles she undertakes on key transactions, as well as supporting and nurturing junior members of the team through various mentoring programmes. She played a key role in a number of market leading transactions over the past 12 months, including in ANZ Bank's proposed acquisition of Suncorp Bank and the acquisition of Australian Pharmaceutical Industries by Wesfarmers.
Eliza is also a board member and secretary of SisterWorks, a non-profit social enterprise which supports women who are migrants, asylum seekers or refugees to become economically empowered and happily settled in Australia. Eliza was first involved with SisterWorks through Ashurst’s pro bono program, which continues to support SisterWorks.
Eliza Blandford commented:
"I am honoured to be recognised as the "Special Counsel of the Year" title at the Women In Law Awards this year. Thank you to my fantastic team at Ashurst and the clients that I have had the honour of working with this year, as well as Lawyers Weekly."
Additionally, the Women In Law Awards recognised Group Head of Digital Economy Transactions, Amanda Ludlow as a finalist in the Partner of the Year (Big Law) category; Corporate Transactions partner, Anita Choi, as a finalist in the Dealmaker of the Year category; and Dispute Resolution associate, Jennifer Chen, as a finalist in the Rising Star of the Year (Big Law) category.
The Lawyers Weekly Women In Law Awards recognises the top female professionals who are driving the legal industry forward across Australia. Finalists for the awards were based on independent assessments by the event stakeholders and a panel of leading legal professionals.
