Even though Parole Board Deputy President Peter Shields received his 25-year Queensland Law Society membership pin late last week, he has worked in the state’s justice system for 40 years.
The Queensland Parole Board member was one of 85 solicitors to be recognised for 25-year and 50-year Society memberships at the Celebrate Recognise Socialise event at Brisbane’s Customs House on Wednesday night.
Peter is Deputy President of the Parole Board.
And as Peter reflected on four decades, he revealed he was a late starter to the legal profession.
“A lot of people do not know that I came to the law late (aged 27) as a mature aged student. At the time I commenced my studies at QUT I was a Detective with the Queensland Police Service,” Peter said.
“I found that I had an affinity with law which allowed me to study full time and work full time. In my final year, I took leave without pay and completed 14 subjects.
“After graduating I was offered a position in a private law firm which specialised in criminal law.
“I have now spent 40 years working in the Queensland criminal justice system: 14 years as a member of the Queensland Police Service; 19 years as a criminal defence solicitor and seven years as Deputy President of Parole Board Queensland.”
Previously a QLS committee volunteer, Peter said he was drawn to the law because he wanted to help people.
“It might sound hackneyed, but in all my positions in the criminal justice system, I have enjoyed helping people, be they victims of crime, or by providing legal services to those charged with alleged offences,” he said.
“I have always tried my best to act ethically and in the clients’ best interests.
“In my current position, it is important to balance the concerns raised by victims of crime with the overarching benefit to the community at large, by releasing a prisoner prior to their custodial end date, to a supervised release which encourages and supports the prisoners rehabilitation.”
The former Society Criminal Law Committee Chair said he was “very honoured to be recognised by the QLS in this way.”
Peter thanked his wife Kellie for her support.
“Most importantly to me, is the fact I will be receiving the pin in the presence of my wife Kellie, who I met at university 28 years ago,” Peter said.
“So law has been very good to me. It has provided me with a supportive profession, as evidenced by the work of the QLS, and my wife and resultant family.”
Practitioners recognised for 25-year pins were: Catherine Abercrombie, Kate Avery, Michael Bates, Donna Bath, Bruce Bennett, Sonya Black, Thady Blundell, Christopher Bodenstein, Paul Borg, Matthew Burgess, Benjamin Caldwell, Matthew Castley, Helen Clarke, Sarah Cleeland, Brendon Cole, Peta Collins, Ben Coogan, Emma Costello, Ruth Daly, Philip Dare, Lachlan Davidson, PEter Duffield, Barry Dunphy, Penelope Ede, Rhys Evans, Sarah Flower, Lucy Forrest, Bronwyn Fursey, Carlos Gouveia, Samantha Hall, William Haseler, Joseph Healy, Jennifer Hetherington, Jill Hignett, Rodney Hodgson, Jeremy Horwood, Ian Innes, Tim Jones, Scott Keddy, Michael Kleinschmidt, Peter Kuskie, Michael Leong, Wesley Lerch, Nicole Lloyd, Stuart Lowe, Stefan Luke, Keith Lyndon, Nicole Lythall, David Madsen, Susannah McAuliffe, Sean McMahon, Susan Myers, Samantha O’Brien, Colin Patino, Nicole Radice, Karen Reardon, Nicole Riethmuller, David Rodighiero, Vincent Rogers, Alison Ross, Rocco Russo, Teresa Scott, Ganesh Selvamanickam, Matthew Shannon, Roger Singh, Matthew Stapleton, Craig Stevenson, Susan Stewart, Kim Trajer, Ernest van Buuren, Peter Vilaysack, Scott Watson, Troy Webb, Karen Wernham, Brent Weston, Sharon Winn and Susan Woolley.
Keep an eye on Proctor for more articles on the Brisbane milestone event.
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