The Libby Slater Award is in memory of Libby Slater, a leading Australian pension or “super” lawyer who died when she was much too young, before her 40th birthday. The Libby Slater Award includes a complimentary invitation to attend the IPEBLA conference to which the award relates, as well as associated travel costs. To read more about Libby Slater click HERE.

If you believe there is someone who has made or is making an outstanding contribution to pensions law in your country and who might not otherwise attend the next IPEBLA conference, please let a member of the Steering Committee know.

If you believe there is an individual who meets the following criteria, please complete this nomination form and email your submission to contact@ipebla.org. 

Relevant Criteria

The person:

• Has made, or is making, an outstanding contribution to pensions and/or benefits law in your country; and
• May not otherwise be able to attend the Lisbon Conference.

The 2019 Libby Slater Award:

The recipient of the 2019 Libby Slater Award was Henriette de Lange. Henriette has a distinguished career in the Dutch pensions industry – as a pension lawyer, in pensions communications, as a pension board member, and in her current role as independent pensions Ombudsman for the pension fund industry in the Netherlands. She is also a long-standing member of IPEBLA who has contributed to the success of the organization.

The 2017 Libby Slater Award:
The recipient was Sanya Goffe, a partner in Hart Muirhead Fatta, Jamaica. Sanya is a leading voice advocating for pension reform in Jamaica and has been a consistent champion of developing the legal and regulatory framework for pensions.

The 2015 Libby Slater Award:
The recipient was Paul Owens, Deputy Superintendent of Pensions, Alberta, Canada.

The 2013 Libby Slater Award:
The recipient was Grace Zulu, Trust / Board Secretary, Mukuba Pension Trust Registered Trustees, Zambia.

The 2011 Libby Slater Award:
The recipient was Jeremy Cooper of Australia, who chaired the Australian Federal Government Review into the "Governance, Efficiency, Structure and Operation of Australia's Superannuation System." He is now Chairman, Retirement Incomes at Challenger.

The 2009 Libby Slater Award:
The recipient was Deborah McPhail of Canada.

The 2007 Libby Slater Award:
The recipient was Jan-Mikael Bexhed of Sweden. He successfully pleaded leading European Court of Justice cases such as Safir (C-118/96), Skandia (C-241/97), and Skandia and Ramstedt (C-422/01), contributing to reduced barriers in cross-border pension provision within the EU.

The 2005 Libby Slater Award:
The recipient was William Bortz of the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Benefit Counsel, who has contributed to every major U.S. pension and benefits regulation over 15 years.

The 2003 Libby Slater Award:
The recipient was Dr. Lisa Butler, Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Tasmania, Australia. Her doctoral thesis, “The Priority of the Trust in the Age of Superannuation,” is available on the IPEBLA website.