Oden Legal Principal Ross Oden will wear his Queensland Law Society 25-year pin with pride – he’s been waiting for it.
The Southport practitioner was one of 10 QLS 25-year members recognised at the Gold Coast QLS Celebrate Recognise Event at The Island last night.
“A 25-year pin is something I became aware of at around 20 years in. I wanted one,” Ross, who established the family-run firm in 1987, said.
Oden Legal is a boutique law firm in the heart of Southport, on the Gold Coast.
“I have practised as a legal practitioner since April of ’85 but moved to the Gold Coast in 1999/2000,” Ross said.
“Membership of the respective professional associations spanned that entire period, amounting to a total of around 39 years.
“I am proud and honoured to have been in the legal profession and a member of the professional associations for that entire period, and particularly chuffed that I get a pin from Queensland Law Society.
“I think the pin underscores that membership has its rewards, and the collegiate nature of this association continually promotes and defends the ideals that this profession aspires to.
“I will wear it proudly.”
Ross’s journey to the law begin in Victoria as a young man.
“I was ‘attracted’ to law by obtaining my first full-time job as a law clerk with the Victorian Crown Solicitors Office at 18 years old,” he recalled.
“Once in there, all the solicitors in the office convinced me that it was a good idea to start studying law at the Articled Clerks Course run by the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, a precursor to the Victoria University.
“I did this, and when that course closed, I transferred to Monash University for two years, and then finished that course at Melbourne University over an eight-year period.
“I was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor in Victoria on the 11th of April 1985.”
His legal career now also includes a mediation role and as a sessional Ordinary Member of the Queensland Civil & Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) since 2019.
“Mediating, of course, is not a judicial role, and is the ability to assist parties to reach agreement that they can live with,” Ross said. “It is also the ability to assist and direct parties to be and remain child focused in the process, and introduce them (if they aren’t already in court) to the ideas and principles that family law requires them to apply.
“Mediating, if not successful in achieving agreement, can and does provide an excellent forum for parties to find out what the issues are, the allegations being made and the potential issues that cannot be ironed out.
“Overall, it is a satisfying way to cooperatively attempt to achieve outcomes suitable to support the child’s best interests.
“QCAT is an opportunity to provide timely and party focused outcomes in a more relaxed forum than perhaps those a traditional court provides.
“It is also mostly cost-effective and accessible service. It is a forum for a broad spectrum of the population and provides a comprehensive review jurisdiction as well.
“I find the role of Member most challenging and satisfying and an area where I consider that I can utilise my knowledge and experience to good effect.”
Ross’ journey to law has been influenced and assisted by many, but his major support has always been his immediate family.
“My wife (Chenie) suffered the early years where poor wages and long hours of me hunkered down studying affected our life greatly. She stepped into the breach as major breadwinner and homemaker of our small family,” Ross said.
“Again, after admission and as I swapped jobs and searched for my professional future, my wife persevered and supported unflinchingly … all whilst we added two children to our family!
“It’s safe to say I would not be the lawyer I am today without my wife’s unwavering support.
“We have since worked together in our very small family legal practice for the last 16 odd years; and have recently been joined by our youngest child, my daughter, Tayla Oden, whose admission I proudly moved in March of 2023.
“As a family, we are now all supporting each other as we forge an invigorated and transforming practice into the future.”
Keep an eye out for more Proctor articles celebrating membership milestones
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