As the year draws to a close, it’s time to pause, reflect and celebrate the milestones we have achieved together. We wish you a joyous and Merry Christmas and thank you for your continued support throughout 2025. Below, our Partners and Practice Manager share their insights, recounting the year and offering a glimpse into what lies ahead.
Jeff Garrett – Legal Practice Director
As I approach my 45th year with the firm in February 2026, I find myself reflecting on what has been another remarkable year of growth, change, helping our clients, and assisting worthy charities and clubs in the community.
Across several of our offices, we have continued to grow to meet the needs of our communities, welcoming new team members and expanding our capacity to help more people.
One highlight has been the launch of Brisbane’s Legal Lowdown on Radio 4BC, which airs each Wednesday afternoon and invites listeners to engage through interviews and live call-ins. Building on the success of our long-running segment with 4CRB on the Gold Coast, it has been encouraging to see such a strong appetite for clear, practical and jargon-free legal guidance.
Our Brisbane office has expanded with four additional full-time staff and plans for a bigger office in Santos Place at 32 Turbot Street. The response of the Brisbane residents has been remarkable.
This year has also seen important growth within our practice areas. Our Family Law team has expanded further into surrogacy law, understanding the importance of this area as more families explore this path to parenthood. We’re also thrilled to be welcoming a new senior lawyer as Special Counsel to our Compensation Law team early next year, strengthening our ability to assist injured clients and their families to put their lives back together.
Beyond the work we do for clients, we remain deeply committed to advocacy and law reform.
I am proud of our team’s willingness to speak up for those who may not feel heard or are unable to speak for themselves. Our Aged Care Partner Debbie Sage gave evidence at the Queensland Government’s Public Inquiry into Elder Abuse, calling for stronger protections and addressing gaps in existing legislation.
At the same time, Compensation Law Senior Associate Henry Garrett made submissions to the Queensland Parliamentary Inquiry into e-scooter and e-bike safety, advocating for clearer regulation following a 112% spike in e-bike related injuries. These emerging risks have highlighted significant legal and safety concerns, and we remain committed to seeing better safeguards put in place for both riders and pedestrians.
There are many other social issues the firm and its lawyers have spoken out about during 2025 and we will continue to actively advocate for just causes.
At the heart of everything we do is a simple purpose: to help people and change their lives for the better. Whether supporting families through grief and loss in estate administration and planning, navigating complex family disputes, assisting injured clients on their road to recovery, assisting clients to buy or sell their home, or protecting the dignity and wellbeing of older Australians, this work matters deeply to me and is at the core of our intent or purpose.
We have developed our systems and processes over many years to ensure our lawyers and staff are trained to communicate and empathise with our clients. We are always looking to improve our service and look for ways to ease our client’s journey through the Dickensian legal system. Although technological advances in the digital era have expedited certain processes, the glacial progress and cost of the judicial system and the Courts remain as significant barriers to justice.
I am proud of what we have achieved in 2025, and I look forward to continuing to make a meaningful difference for the better in the lives of our clients and communities in 2026.
Angela Harry – Wills & Estates
2025 has been a year of momentum, refinement, and meaningful connection for our Wills and Estates team. Rather than simply doing more, this year has been about doing things better, strengthening our expertise, deepening community partnerships, and creating more pathways for people to access quality estate planning.
Our department grew to 21 team members, each bringing valuable skills and perspectives. This growth supported improved processes, new mentoring opportunities, and a stronger culture of collaboration. A key achievement was preparing 385 free wills for partnering charities including Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter, Parkinson’s QLD, Currumbin Wildlife Hospital and the Salvation Army, ensuring more people have access to essential planning.
Education remained central to our work, but we broadened our approach. Alongside presentations, we invested in evolving legal education platforms and partnered with organisations such as the City of Gold Coast Libraries to deliver clear, practical information. These efforts strengthened our reputation as a trusted and approachable authority in estate planning.
This year also brought new professional leadership opportunities, with our team contributing to educational seminars and sector initiatives, reinforcing our commitment to the broader Wills and Estates community.
As we move into 2026, our focus is on expanding services, embracing new technology, enhancing community initiatives, and continuing to refine our processes.
2025 has been a year of meaningful progress, and we look forward to building on this foundation in the year ahead.
Lucy McPherson – Estate Litigation
As we bring 2025 to a close, it’s a fitting moment to acknowledge another year of significant progress for the Estate Litigation team at Attwood Marshall Lawyers. Our expanding capabilities and strong results have continued to position us at the forefront of complex estate and trust disputes.
This year, we welcomed Duncan MacDougall as Senior Associate and Alula Abraha as Senior Paralegal, adding fresh energy and specialist support to our practice. We also celebrated internal success, with Jessica Spindler and Sienna Wikaira stepping into Senior Paralegal roles. Further, Georgia Trapp joined us as Department Manager, strengthening the team’s collaboration.
Professional development and leadership remained central to our work, with senior staff attending STEP conferences and sharing their insights publicly through several radio and media interviews. April Kennedy’s contribution to the Australian Financial Review was a particular highlight.
We continued to engage in industry events and present on complex issues in estate litigation. I conducted lectures at Southern Cross University and presented at the NSW Law Society Specialist Accreditation Conference on the use of video evidence in testamentary capacity cases.
Throughout the year, we saw growth in contested estate matters, family provision disputes, and guardianship matters. The confidence shown by colleagues, referrers, and professionals across the sector remains a strong marker of our team’s reputation.
As we reflect on 2025, we are grateful for the trust placed in us and proud of what we have achieved together. We look forward to building on this momentum as we move into 2026, continuing to support clients with empathy, clarity, and expertise in estate litigation.
Charles Lethbridge – Commercial Litigation
We saw an increase in demand for building litigation services this year which we responded to with the appointment of Melany Dowse as Special Counsel in our Brisbane office. Melany brings specialist expertise in building disputes and works closely with our specialist construction law Associate, Timothy Wright, strengthening further Attwood Marshall’s building litigation expertise.
We also launched our Planning and Environment sub-department in response to growing client needs particularly across the Gold Coast and Northern New South Wales. Led by Special Counsel Jade Carlson with support from Lawyer James Griffin, this expansion enables us to better serve clients as they navigate the complex landscape of development applications, zoning laws and environmental regulation.
We welcomed Georgia Trapp as our new Department Manager and boosted the number of our support staff, whose contributions have been instrumental in managing our growing caseload.
The year also delivered significant courtroom victories, including major wins in the NSW Supreme Court on a multi-million-dollar director-shareholder dispute and a complex contract matter, as well as ongoing proceedings in the Court of Appeal.
Throughout 2025, our team’s expertise attracted media attention with interviews on Channel 9’s A Current Affair, ABC Radio, 2GB Sydney, the Courier Mail and News.com.au, covering topics from property and insurance disputes to superannuation reforms and employment law.
As we approach the holiday season, we’re proud to look back on a year of achievement and are energized for what 2026 will bring. We remain dedicated to helping our clients through their most challenging disputes and thank them for the trust they have placed in us throughout 2025. Wishing everyone a safe and happy Christmas.
Debbie Sage – Aged Care
As we look back on the year, I’ve been reminded just how important this area of law is and how much our community relies on clear information and genuine advocacy.
One of the standout moments for our team was seeing my policy submission on elder abuse progress to a full parliamentary inquiry. Public hearings took place in February 2025, and we’re hopeful the work done so far will lead to meaningful improvements in how vulnerable older people are protected.
A big focus for us this year was getting out into the community and speaking directly with people who are trying to make sense of the new Aged Care Act and their estate planning needs. We held presentations with Gold Coast City Council Libraries, Senior Citizen Centres, Seniors Expos, and the Gold Coast Dementia Community Group, and the questions people raised really highlighted how much change is occurring in this space.
We also increased our involvement on 4CRB and 4BC radio stations this year. These on-air conversations are something our team genuinely enjoy – they give us the chance to break down complex reforms in a way that feels approachable and to reassure listeners who are trying to support ageing parents or plan themselves.
In September, our Aged Care Reforms Roadshow brought us face-to-face with many more families and carers across the Gold Coast. Hearing their experiences continues to shape our work and reminds us why clear, practical advice is so important during times of transition.
We’ve continued to see a rise in enquiries about aged care contracts, and particularly the activation of enduring powers of attorney. These matters can be overwhelming, and it’s been a privilege to help people navigate them with confidence and peace of mind.
Looking ahead to 2026, I’m optimistic. The full implementation of the new Aged Care Act should bring long-awaited clarity, and we’ll keep pushing for strong protections for those who need it most. We’re also awaiting the outcomes of the parliamentary inquiry, which gained unanimous support following my original motion to the LNP State Government in 2023. I’m hopeful it will help drive the reforms older Australians deserve.
Holly Gilholme – Practice Manager
As we reflect on 2025, I am proud to share the milestones that have shaped another successful year for our business. We have continued to experience steady growth across most of our legal departments, a testament to the dedication and expertise of our team.
Our partnerships with local schools have flourished this year. Through work experience programs, careers expos, and classroom visits, our lawyers have generously donated their time to inspire and educate the next generation of legal professionals. These initiatives reflect our belief in giving back and fostering pathways into the profession.
We are also pleased to confirm the ongoing retention of our ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Certification. This achievement underscores our unwavering commitment to maintaining the highest standards in client service and operational excellence.
Professional development has remained a cornerstone of our culture. In addition to tailored training programs, we introduced in-house departmental learning experiences to support cross-training and collaboration. Our team also benefited from engaging CPD sessions, ensuring we stay ahead in an ever-evolving legal landscape.
In September, I had the privilege of attending the annual ALPMA Summit in Sydney, where I gained valuable insights into emerging trends in legal practice management. This visit also included time at our new Sydney office, a significant step in strengthening our presence and supporting our clients in this dynamic region.
As we look toward 2026, we remain committed to growth, innovation, and fostering a culture of learning and excellence. Thank you to our clients for your trust and to our team for your dedication and hard work. Wishing you all a safe and joyful holiday season and a prosperous New Year.
