Kay Rhodes, Director of Goondiwindi-based firm Fox and Thomas, was acknowledged for 25 years’ service as a Queensland Law Society accredited specialist in family law last week.
Ms Rhodes in 1996 became one of the first 25 lawyers to achieve QLS specialist accreditation. Although she reached the 25-year milestone in 2021 along with her inaugural cohort, QLS CEO Rolf Moses was able to personally present Ms Rhodes with her certificate in the rural town on Friday evening.
Ms Rhodes was also recognised for 25 years of QLS membership on the night, in the company of a tight-knit legal community which she has been part of for 34 years. Goondiwindi is home to circa 10,000 people but Ms Rhodes says its legal practitioners service an area far beyond that.
“There’s 10 female lawyers and three males, and we have a good collegiate relationship,” Ms Rhodes said. “We’re right on the (QLD/NSW) border and serve people out west – Charleville, Cunnamulla … we’ve also got clients from the Northern Territory, Central Queensland and north-western New South Wales.”
Ms Rhodes said her time practising family law in a regional area had so far proved very rewarding, both personally and professionally.
“I feel lucky to have fallen into this profession and to be in an area where you can continue to use your education and your life experience in helping clients to get through difficult times, and assist them in problem solving,” Ms Rhodes said.
“One of the other things I really enjoy is having professionals on the other side who I have respect for and can trust, which makes you much more able to bring a decent result around for your client, and generally for the whole of their family.”
Ms Rhodes receives her 25-year membership pin
Mr Moses celebrated the occasion with Ms Rhodes and members of the local legal profession and community at the Victoria Hotel, joined by staff from Doyle Wilson Solicitors, Fox and Thomas, along with the Goondiwindi Regional Council CEO Carl Manton and General Counsel Krista Roberts.
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