For many lawyers, admission to the profession is a career-defining moment but for Ben Pimley it carried a deeper significance as his wife moved his recent admission.
Ben met his future wife Eleanor at the Queensland University of Technology, and they supported each other throughout their studies. So it was fitting that when the time came for Ben to be admitted to the profession, “Ellie” – now an Associate at Hall & Wilcox – moved his admission.
Ben, an Assistant Manager at BDO Australia, was one of more than 110 new lawyers admitted at the Banco Court on 27 July in Brisbane.
He said the whole admission ceremony was a memorable experience, but that two moments stood out.
“First, watching my wife move my admission was an incredibly special moment and is something I will remember for the rest of my career,” he shared.
“When deciding who to ask, it was important to choose someone who had genuinely shaped my journey, either through my studies or in the early years of my professional career.
“I have been fortunate to have many mentors, colleagues, friends and family members who have supported me along the way, and I remain incredibly grateful for each of them.
“However, when I reflected on who had been there for every stage of the journey, the answer was obvious. Ellie supported me through countless late nights of study after long days at work, celebrated the milestones, and helped me navigate the inevitable challenges along the way.
“Asking her to move my admission felt like a fitting way to recognise the role she played in helping me reach that moment.”
The other moment that stood out in particular for Ben were remarks made by Her Honour Justice Brown during her speech to the applicants.
“I will remember the remarks from Justice Brown about the importance of maintaining balance in life,” he said.
“It was refreshing to be reminded of the importance of physical health, mental wellbeing, and maintaining strong relationships with family and friends so that we can bring our best selves to work. That advice will stay with me.”
For Ellie, Ben’s admission was both an “emotional and memorable occasion”, strengthening their relationship as highlighted by Justice Brown’s address.
“The ceremony represented the culmination of years of hard work, dedication and balancing studies alongside our early career,” she said.
“Ben and I met while we were studying, so I have had the privilege of witnessing firsthand the commitment, discipline and perseverance he has shown throughout his journey.
“Moving his admission was an incredibly proud moment for me. His achievement is thoroughly deserved, and I have no doubt that he will be a valued and respected member of the legal profession for years to come.”
It also held further significance as it was the first time Ellie had moved an admission.
“Ben and I always strive for excellence. Since meeting at university, we have been each other’s biggest supporters, celebrating successes, navigating challenges and providing guidance and encouragement to each other along the way,” she said.
“We also make a conscious effort to celebrate all milestones and achievements, so being able to share and celebrate Ben’s admission was particularly special.
“I always enjoy witnessing the admission of my peers, but to have the opportunity to move the admission of my husband was a real honour and a memorable professional milestone.
“We have some outstanding clerks and graduates coming through the ranks at Hall & Wilcox, and it is exciting to see the next generation of lawyers entering the profession. I hope to have the privilege of moving more admissions in the future.”
During his time at law school, Ben was particularly interested in seeing how legislation and court decisions shape people’s everyday lives.
“I enjoyed studying not only the law itself, but also how legal and policy frameworks influence real-world outcomes,” he said.
“That interest ultimately led me into a role working with government on policy development and major public investments, rather than traditional legal practice.
“Much of my work involves helping bridge the gap between legislative and policy objectives and their practical implementation, with a focus on delivering tangible benefits for communities.
“While my career path may not be a conventional one for a law graduate, I have found it both challenging and rewarding.”
Ben continues to enjoy working at the intersection of law, public policy and real-world outcomes.
“My goal is to continue helping governments design and implement initiatives that create meaningful benefits for communities,” he said.
“My legal studies have given me a valuable framework for understanding complex issues, balancing competing interests and thinking critically about how change can be implemented effectively.
“As a member of the legal profession, I hope to continue building a career that applies those skills to the development of public policy and major projects that have a lasting impact on the communities they serve.”
Admitted before Justices Brown, Bradley and Doyle were: James; Harris; Schleehauf; Legge; Negas; Richards; Burke; Broustail; Weder; Waterfall; Daniel; Scholten; Green; Gulley; Strazdins; Neighbour; Harding-Tape; Vidler; Pinto; English; Xu; Stapleton; Drew.
Vennells; Natoli; Georgiou; Fotheringham; Dunn; Wilson; Stevens; Ricco; Maxwell; Davies; Pimley; Ho; Edmondson; Tsai; Arthur; Jackson; Hopkinson; Lanigan; Peters; Brown; Haywood-North; Sully; Vaitsas.
Hunter Demecs; Yu; Bell; Paull; Croce; Van Diermen; Walsh; Colley; Damarda; Tuioti; Emery; Charnley; Stephan; Ware; Nethery; Arnold-Nott; Olsen; McGeachie; Argente; Barnes; Johnson; Stocker.
D Singh; Waterson; Scott; Conjar; Vass; Scott; Redmond; Thomas; Gampe; Anstey; Stoker; Tarabay; Huelin; Tavakoli; Ryan; Eschler; Newman; Muskeyn; Cogill; Malhotra; Welke; Zhang.
Collins; Soole; Newton; Noffke; Varghese; Wood; Homan; Yang; M Singh; McMurdo; Gillespie; Alavi Moghaddam; Abel; Nguyen-Pham; McKean; Sullivan; Yuen; Braithwaite; Wright; Cassidy; Ahmed; Holt.
Proctor celebrates all newly admitted lawyers and congratulates 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 images from your admission sitting.
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