New Future Leaders Committee President Mathai “Matt” Joshi will be flying the flag for rural areas as the committee’s first regional president.
A Senior Associate at Townsville’s Connolly Suthers Lawyers, Mathai completed his Bachelor of Laws at James Cook University and was admitted to practice as a solicitor in May 2018.
Mathai grew up in Blackall, western Queensland, which influenced not only his career choices but outlook on life.
Mathai enjoys courtroom advocacy.
“Faith, family and integrity are three things which are important to me. My parents made incredible sacrifices for me to be where I am today,” he revealed.
“Moving to Australia as migrants and growing up without any extended family in a small country town was hard. However, seeing the resilience of my parents inspired me to always give 100 per cent and do the best I can. Without my family and my faith in God, I would not be where I am today, and these things are what is important to me.
“I did not initially have a desire to become a lawyer as I thought I would become a doctor like my father, because I saw the impact he had on the local community and the difference his work made to the community.
“During my time at law school at James Cook University, I felt a connection to the practice, and I just knew this is what I wanted to do because like my father I had a chance to give back to my community.
“I really enjoy my work as a criminal lawyer, and I enjoy courtroom advocacy. Working in a regional city like Townsville really helped me grow confidence as an advocate and I have experienced a broad range of work.”
Mathai said he was “truly honoured to be the first regional president” and hoped “I am the first of many”.
“I come from a family of migrants who came to Australia many years ago,” he said. “I spent my childhood in the country town of Blackall, and growing up in a rural community has had such a profound impact on who I am today. It is a privilege to be able to be associated with regional practice and I hope I can do it proudly.
“Regional practitioners are some of the most resilient, tough, and hard-working lawyers I know. Regardless of rain, hail, cyclone, or flood, the profession comes together in such a special way. To be able to represent those lawyers and the members of the legal community is a great privilege.
“I hope that my presidency can shine a small light on the incredible work the regional legal profession does and further draw attention to the unique challenges that face us daily.”
The challenges were one of the reasons Mathai decided to become involved with the FLC.
“When the Queensland Law Society first announced the creation of a committee aimed at representing early career lawyers, I was excited for the opportunity to get involved. I was really encouraged by the QLS to create a representative body that could address specific issues and concerns relevant to lawyers starting out in the profession,” he said.
“To me, the future of our profession is so exciting. We are in such an incredible place in Queensland where almost 40 per cent of the profession is made up of early career lawyers, and to be a part of a committee which can help shape what the profession can look like in the future is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“I decided to join the committee because I knew there were things that frustrated me when I was a junior lawyer that I wanted to try and change. There were things that I thought could be better and I wanted to get involved to have my say.
“I was extremely fortunate upon completing law school to be mentored by some incredible solicitors and members of the local profession. I had so many opportunities to learn, grow, to be challenged, but also to be mentored in the right way. I always felt that if I had the opportunity to be able to give back what was given to me, I would try to do so.
“Being a solicitor is such an incredibly important and rewarding job, but it comes with an even greater responsibility. The FLC has given space for junior lawyers to action the change in the profession that they want to see, and I love that we get the chance to contribute to improving the profession we all love being a part of.”
Mathai will focus on collegiality
And Mathai has hopes for his presidency which including focusing on the connection between city and country.
“I would like to improve the connection between the regional and city practitioners and improve the level of collegiality within the profession,” he said.
“Queensland is such an incredibly unique state. In North Queensland, we are decentralised from Brisbane, our closest capital city. Practising in North and Far North Queensland is a completely different experience than working in South-East Queensland. I think that regional and rural Queensland has so much to offer, and practising in the regions provides a unique career experience which should be encouraged and celebrated.
“It is quintessential that the regions have excellent, competent, and ethical practitioners. In my view, there should be no difference between the quality of legal services, whether you live in Blackall or in Brisbane.
“Working in regional Queensland I have seen incredible collegiality within the profession. Especially in Townsville, the local District Law Association has done an excellent job in bringing the profession together. Whether you work for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions or in private practice, there is a great deal of respect and collegiality within the profession.
“I would like to encourage more of these connections, for junior lawyers throughout the state to feel comfortable to call or reach out to any fellow member for advice. I have always been grateful to have some incredibly wise heads to be able to call on for help and advice. The profession has come a long way, however I think we can still improve on ensuring we create a space for junior lawyers to always feel comfortable to reach out.”
When not advocating for his clients, Mathai is a dedicated sports fan.
“Outside of the law I love my sports. I am a Brisbane Lions AFL tragic, I also enjoy helping my community through volunteering with my local church.”
Mathai knows how hard the FLC has been working and is keen to hear from early career lawyers.
The 2025-26 Future Leaders Committee is:
President
Mathai Joshi
FLC Vice President
Brendan Reidy
FLC Immediate Past President
Helen Driscoll
QLS representative of the LCA, Young Lawyer Committee
Sam Nelson
Ordinary members of FLC
Georgia Athanasellis
Nikki Ball
Emma Kearney
Gemma Kruger
Caitlin Littleton
Georgina Peereboom
Kirstie Smith
Alana Murray
Jordan Roles
Eloise Turnbull
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