At the Queensland Law Society (QLS) Excellence in Law Awards Gala on Saturday night our own Managing Director Ben Gouldson was announced as Queensland’s Regional Practitioner of the Year.
This Award recognises the contribution of a regional lawyer across areas including contribution and impact in their community, legal and policy reform and enhancing the reputation of the profession.
Fellow CGLaw Director Danny Clifford said, “We’ve always known that Ben is truly special in the contribution he makes not just to exceptional client service but in the many hours he puts back into the community and the legal profession.”
“His accolades are extensive but just a few include advocating about the expertise of the local profession, mentoring young and developing business people, personal involvement in many charitable organisations and events, establishing Toowoomba’s first specialised practices in workplace law, intellectual property and export advisory and guiding our firm with an open, compassionate approach to legal practice,” Danny said.
“We feel incredibly proud and grateful to work with Ben every day and we’re so pleased to see his tireless and selfless efforts recognised in this way.”
Ben shared the excitement of his award with a group of family and friends who also attended the dinner including his very proud parents.
Shadow Treasurer and Member for Toowoomba South David Janetzki was amongst those who shared in the evening and provided a letter of support for Ben’s original entry.
We thank David for his supporting comments which included:
“Apart from the law, he is a deeply respected leader of our region. He is recognised as an analytical thinker engaged not just with the law but in our region’s economic, social, artistic and environmental future.”
“I cannot speak highly enough of his personal characteristics. He takes seriously his duty to the court and the client. He is humble, considered, generous and acts with integrity in all that he says and does.”
Ben Gouldson said, “I was genuinely shocked and humbled to receive this award. So much so that I hadn’t even considered what to say in the thank you speech.”
Ben said, “I am so thankful to my wife Dana, daughters Issy, Georgie and Anna-Lina whose steadfast and enduring support of my community and firm contributions means they share this acknowledgement with me.”
“My close friend and founding CGLaw Director, Danny Clifford, his wife Ria Clifford, fellow Directors Amanda Tolson and Harrison Humphries, Practice Manager Selina Algate, all current and past CGLaw staff, and all past and current valued clients and referrers or advocates of CGLaw are also a part of this award because their support over many years has enabled me to be lucky enough to be honoured in this way.”
“To have been nominated by CGLaw Alumni, Simon Playford, who now serves the Heart Foundation as Legal Counsel, and selected as a finalist was recognition enough, but to win is such a proud and humbling experience. My thanks also to Shane Charles and David Janetzki for their wonderful words of support as my referees.”
Ben said, “My hope is this award goes some way to demonstrating to young professionals working in the legal industry that opportunities exist regionally for a rewarding and challenging legal career which is by no means inferior to one based in capital cities, and with balance.”
The QLS Excellence in Law Awards are the Queensland’s legal profession’s most prestigious awards with recipients judged on a peer review basis for their contribution to all aspects of the legal profession, their clients and the broader community.
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