Legal jokes don’t faze Sunshine Coast solicitor Trent Wakerley as he knows there are a lot of excellent lawyers out there, and on Saturday night he was acknowledged as one of them.
The Director of Kruger Law received the Solicitor of the Year (Small Firm) Award, supported by award partner Westpac, at the Queensland Law Society Excellence in Law Awards on Saturday night in Brisbane.
“I was quite surprised to find out I was a finalist and it’s fair to say I’m super shocked to take out the gong,” the former registered nurse said.
“Despite all the lawyer jokes, there’s a lot of great solicitors doing a lot of great work in Queensland, so keep it up.
“I know there’s a lot of factors that probably would have gone into working out who took out the award, and congratulations to the other finalists in this category. Perhaps what might have got me over the line is a bit of community work that I do.
“I couldn’t have done that without the amazing support of my family, my beautiful wife Sarah and parents.”
The modest winner may have somewhat downplayed his contribution to the profession, having been awarded life membership to the Sunshine Coast Law Association earlier this year, and also to the “bit of community work”.
Trent is a judiciary member for Sunshine Coast Gympie Rugby League, University of Sunshine Coast External Advisory Board member, active member of Kawana Surf Lifesaving Club and former Bokarina Neighbourhood Watch committee member. He is also a life member of Kawana Rugby League Club.
Anna Morgan with Jennifer Veitch and Cameron
Woodcroft from award partner Pilot Partners.
And the winner of the Solicitor of the Year Sole Practitioner, Anna Morgan, also has strong ties with her local District Law Association – just on the ‘other coast’.
The Take Control Legal founder has been involved with the Gold Coast District Law Association (GCDLA) for several years, including three as President and two as Treasurer, and she wanted to acknowledge the people who had helped her devote time to the GCDLA and her firm which she founded in 2023.
She thanked her husband Trevor for his parenting and being a stay-at-home dad, giving her the support to pursue her goals.
“It is also really important to acknowledge Mum and Dad,” Anna said. “I was brought up with the ethos instilled from them about the art of living is the art of giving.
“I watched them, growing up, giving themselves to community organisations and on boards, and that’s been engrained in my DNA. So I have fabulous role models and that’s contributed to where I am today.”
She wanted to dedicate the award to Gold Coast legal practitioners and in particular the GCDLA.
“I wouldn’t be here today or been as successful starting my own practice as a sole practitioner … over the last decade or two without the District Law Association,” Anna said.
“For those of you out there who have a district law association in your area, I implore you, encourage you to get involved.
“The support I get; the support I can give; the mentoring I have received, the mentoring I’ve been given; the relationships I have built and created; people I can lean upon, friendships, no one understands what we do more than other lawyers.
“So if you aren’t involved in one please get involved, it will enrich your careers, it will enrich your practices, and it is such a fabulous thing to be part of. So I dedicate this to Gold Coast lawyers and District Law Associations.”
Anna volunteers at My Community Legal, lectures at Bond University, and founded Gold Coast Corporate Rotary. She also established Expert Witness Coach, guiding professionals to build successful careers as expert witnesses.
Pilot Partners was the award partner for Solicitor of the Year (Sole Practitioner).
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