The sky is seemingly the limit for Zoe Christodoulou after she was bestowed the honour of being Australia’s best real estate lawyer under 30 years old.
Ms Christodoulou, who works for Gadens law firm in Melbourne, was among the many finalists included in this year’s Lawyers Weekly 30 Under 30 Awards.
The prestigious annual awards ceremony recognises the high-achieving lawyers under 30 years of age from across Australia, with this year’s event taking place earlier this month on March 7 in Sydney.
Ms Christodoulou, who has roots in the Paphos District of Cyprus, won in the Real Estate category and she described her immediate reaction as being simply “surprised and grateful”.
“While recognition is never my motivation, it was special to be recognised by my peers for this award. I am motivated by doing my best and any validation and recognition is just an added bonus,” the 29-year-old lawyer told Neos Kosmos.
She stated that the experience of being surrounded by her fellow high-achieving peers was its own reward and that she found herself relating to their paths to success.
“It was very humbling to be surrounded by such amazing talent and to learn about each winner’s journey,” Ms Christodoulou said.
“The common theme in each speech was the impact that the support of the winner’s family had on the growth of each winner. This resonated with me as my own family has had an enormous impact on my journey and growth as a lawyer. The award would not be possible without the support of my family.”
The 29-year-old admitted that there are challenges in striving to succeed in her specific field, which requires a strong amount of dedication and effort to overcome.
“I am a young female lawyer within a very male dominated industry (Real Estate). My strategies to break in have always been to remain true to myself, build a rapport with people, and produce good quality work to gain respect and trust from clients and peers,” she said.
In addition to her professional success, Ms Christodoulou also has an immense amount of pride in her origins, explaining that her grandfather’s family home in the village of Kouklia has remarkable historical value.
“There is deep history in Kouklia including ancient archaeology found in the area. My pappou’s family home is now heritage protected and will be used as a museum to house the artefacts found in the area in the coming years,” she told Neos Kosmos.
“I was lucky enough to travel to Kouklia last year and meet many family members that still reside in the village (and to see my pappou’s home). I felt a deep connection to the area (including the food, the people, the architecture) and it felt like a home away from home.