While newly admitted lawyers, including five from Cooper Grace Ward, are focusing on the next steps of their career, the Honourable Justice Bond encouraged them not to always prioritise work over life.
More than 100 lawyers were admitted in Brisbane on 6 May including Adam Jamieson, Madeline Treschman, Amy Fouche, Benjamin Hoffman and William Head, who were all part of CGW’s Graduate Development Program.
Madeline Treschman, Amy Fouche, Benjamin Hoffmann, William
Head and Adam Jamieson with their admission certificates.
Justice Bond told the lawyers that “work is part of your life, not something other than your life”.
“People these days often talk about work life balance. To my mind, the concept is flawed. It postulates a false dichotomy between, on the one hand, work and on the other hand, life,” His Honour said after five sitting groups had taken their oaths.
“The notion does, however, convey at least one important truth, namely, that you can’t and should not always prioritize work over other parts of your life.
“But sometimes you got to do what you got to do. Anyone who studied law has already found that out.
“To my mind, what you really need to do is prioritize as between the different parts of your life, recognizing that there’s got to be some flexibility in the priorities setting and that your priorities will change over the course of your life.”
Those words struck a chord with Madeline, who studied a Bachelor of Justice with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours) at Queensland University of Technology. She also joined CGW as a law clerk in 2023 and has since been working in the property, planning and environment team.
“His Honour, Justice Bond’s speech to the newly admitted practitioners was also particularly relevant and an interesting reflection on how we often incorrectly seek to extricate work from ‘life’, when in reality the two concepts exist simultaneously,” she said.
“I have always been drawn to the humanities, and as a natural progression, going into the law now feels like the right and obvious step. However, my decision to pursue law did not come to fruition until towards the end of my secondary education at Clayfield College.
“I was fortunate to stumble upon legal studies in my final years of high school. At the time, I was unsure if this would be something I would even be interested in and somewhat reluctantly settled on selecting that option. From the first class, however, I took an avid interest in the content. From there, my love for the law was born.”
Madeline with her admission mover Stafford Shepherd.
Madeline chose well-known Queensland Law Society Principal Ethics Solicitor Stafford Shepherd to move her admissions for several important reasons.
“Apart from the obvious reason of Stafford being my uncle, Stafford is incredibly knowledgeable,” she said.
“I feel I have gained invaluable insight from him in relation to the profession. His passion and commitment to the law is incredibly inspiring and something I wish to embody in my career as a legal practitioner.”
Stafford said: “It was a great honour for me for Madeline to ask me to move her admission. Madeline represents the second generation of our larger family to become a member of the profession.
“Madeline’s admission and those of my other clerks and Maryam (Catania) represent a renewal and continuation of what the late Sir Gerard Brennan referred to as the profession of service.
“Admission as Justice Bond noted is only the beginning. I wish all newly admitted lawyers all the best. You have chosen a wonderful profession and life to come.”
A highlight for Madeline was signing the roll.
Madeline said she felt “incredibly grateful for being able to start my legal journey at a firm like CGW, where I am supported and given the opportunity to grow and thrive”.
“My hope is that wherever I ultimately end up in the law, I continue to be guided by principles of integrity and honesty and embody the words given in my oath of office.”
Her CGW colleagues and newly minted lawyers are working in different teams.
Adam, who studied a Bachelor of Commerce/Laws (Honours) at the University of Queensland, joined the CGW team in 2023 as a law clerk and has been working in the workplace relations team.
Amy, who has a Bachelor of Behavioural Science/Law (Honours) at Queensland University of Technology, joined the firm in 2022 as a law clerk. She has since been working in the litigation and dispute resolution team.
Benjamin, who studied a Bachelor of Science/Laws (Honours) at the University of Queensland, started in the team in 2022 as a law clerk and works in the litigation and dispute resolution team.
William, who holds a Bachelor of Laws (Honours)/Commerce and Finance at the University of Queensland, joined the team in 2023 as a law clerk and has since been working in the workplace relations team.
Proctor looks to celebrate all newly admitted lawyers and congratulate them on this significant achievement. Please email details to proctor@qls.com.au. Ensure you include some details of your current role, your admission mover, along with a quality head-and-shoulders image or images from your admission sitting.
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