A former winner of Queensland’s Sole Practitioner Award knows going out on your own can be a “shock”.
Director of Take Control Legal Anna Morgan, who was named the 2024 Queensland Solicitor of the Year (Sole Practitioner), will share her experiences at the inaugural QLS Sole Practitioners Breakfast next month.
Anna will be joined on the panel by Joe Siracusa, founder and Principal at Siracusa Legal, and Rob Stevenson, Principal at Australian Workplace Lawyers.
Joe is the chair of the Queensland Law Society Ethics Advisory Committee, a member of the Law Council of Australia’s Professional Ethics Committee, and a member of the QLS Privacy, Data and Intellectual Property Law Committee.
Together they will share practical tips and strategies at the 12 November breakfast at Brisbane’s Customs House.
The Gold Coast District Law Association President, Anna has 25 years’ experience on the coast.
“Going from a big-firm environment to running my own practice was a shock to the system – suddenly it was just me, my laptop, and a lot of questions,” she said.
“But what I discovered was a thriving, generous community of other sole practitioners who ‘get it’. They’ve become sounding boards, cheerleaders, and trusted colleagues.
“The Sole Practitioners Breakfast is about exactly that – connecting with others who understand the juggle, sharing ideas, and celebrating the wins that make this journey so rewarding.”
Joe said he was looking forward to hearing about the experiences of other sole practitioners and from those thinking about setting up their own practice.
“Sole practitioners remain one of the largest categories of solicitors and, in my view, is one of the most fulfilling ways to practise law,” he said.
“The typical sole practice has evolved to include boutique practices, and specialists in particular areas, as well as general practice.
“Business clients are more sophisticated these days in their choice of lawyer, and no longer exclusively look to large firms. Many like to use a mix of firms and will follow the expertise.
“Technology allows sole practitioners to be competitive to an extent that was not possible in the past.”
He advises international companies and government businesses on complex IT, IP and procurement matters, and has served as probity advisor for several major projects.
Rob specialises in workplace relations law. He has more than 25 years’ experience in advising and assisting individuals, small and medium business and charitable organisations with their workplace legal issues.
He is a member of and the immediate past chair of the Queensland Law Society’s Industrial Law Committee and a chair of the Society’s Specialist Accreditation Advisory Committee: Workplace Relations.
Rob is a QLS Senior Counsellor and a member of the Caxton Legal Centre’s Volunteer Hall of Fame.
Topics up for discussion include how to optimise earning capacity, work-life balance and using automation.
Registrations for the Customs House breakfast, with event partner The Sell Life, are now open
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