There was more than 400 years of legal experience in the Beryl Donkin Room at Law Society House on Thursday as eight lawyers were presented with Queensland Law Society Honorary Memberships.
QLS President Peter Jolly presented the gold 50-year membership pins to John Porter, George Fox, Steve Rudz, Greg Thorne, David Purvis, Matthew Woods, Craig Smith and Robert Downey.
Mr Jolly said to the gathering of South-East Queensland practitioners: “If I do my maths correctly, there’s about 400 years of combined input and dedication to the profession and to the Society.
“So that’s a pretty remarkable achievement to have all this horsepower gathered in one room.
“It is an occasion for the Society to recognise what is a remarkable achievement and also to thank you all for your dedication, for your input, and your service to the profession and to the Society.
“The people in this room have served the Society in a variety of ways over the years; there’s a past QLS President, others have been Senior Counsellors and served on committees and presented at seminars.
“All of you have contributed in no small way, not just to the Society, but to the overall growth and development of the profession.
“Events like this help us to remember that the profession is much stronger when we do things together.”
Past QLS President George Fox, whose sons James and Doug have followed him into the law at Fox & Company Lawyers, said he made a lot of friends through the profession.
Although first considering medicine as a career, Mr Fox decided to undertake a combined commerce/law degree to keep his options open. After trying some holiday auditing work, he decided that “wasn’t really my future role”.
“I did my articles with Feez Ruthning, as it was then, and received massive experience and continued support from that firm ever since.”
Mr Fox said he was pleased to bring a regional inland voice as a former Downs South West Queensland Law Association President to the QLS Council in the early 1990s.
“That (1992-93) was a time when the interaction with government was increasing,” Mr Fox recalled.
“And necessarily so, the Law Society increased its input into the legal framework in Queensland, and it’s good to see that has been maintained.
“The Law Society has continued with increasing effectiveness its advocacy role in having an independent and informed input into the administration of the legal framework in the state.”
Mr Fox said he was proud of the Society’s establishment of LawCare and its continued capacity and support to members, both personally and professionally.
2 Responses
A wonderful and well-deserved recognition of long service to the profession. The image also reflects a period when the law was still largely male. It is heartening to think that future generations of honourees will reflect the growing inclusion and contribution of women across the profession.
These golden members are very inpiring by their longevity.
Most are still smiling too, a good sign!
Hope to make it there myself.
Congratulations and good luck to them.