And before we know it, Christmas 2021 is nearly upon us. As the end of the year rapidly draws closer and our minds inadvertently turn towards holiday festivities, it’s time we took a quick moment to look back on the year that was.
2021 was, in many ways, a continuation of 2020; border closures and travel restrictions remained in place for much of the year and Brisbane’s streets became a sea of blue face masks for just under four months, as the effects of COVID-19 continued to be felt across the world.
As always though, Gouldson continued giving Queenslanders access to the personalised service and legal representation they deserve throughout 2021.
But – in years to come, I won’t look back at 2021 and remember pouring over case files. Instead, and I’m sure my staff will agree, we’ll remember those moments in-between our work.
At a glance
2021 for Gouldson was another huge year.
As of 1st December, Gouldson has:
- Successfully settled 129 client cases
- Helped 938 Queensland families
- Provided 403 free case reviews.
Promotions
This year, we congratulated four members of our team on their well-deserved promotions at our EOFY dinner at Agnes Restaurant.
- Carl – Principal (Non Director)
- Kaine – Principal (Non Director)
- Shane – Senior Associate
- Roz – Associate
So – I would just like to again congratulate these inspiring members of the Gouldson Legal team on their new(ish) titles.
Our growing team
This year we welcomed John Harvey, the newest member of our legal team. John come to our Gouldson family with over 20 years of experience in the personal injury game, and we’re reaping the rewards of his experience already. Welcome John– we look forward to seeing what the future holds for you at Gouldson Legal.
We also welcomed back a familiar face, as Brigitta returned from maternity leave. A member of our legal team since 2013, it’s been fantastic having Brigitta back in the office, working on cases representing our clients.
A final, special shout out to the newest members of the Gouldson family, Brigitta’s son Teddy turning 1 this month, and Kaine’s third child, who is 3 months old this month.
a top Queensland law firm (again)
We were also extremely proud to again be recognised in the prestigious Doyle’s Guide for 2021, being listed in many categories as a firm and individually, including Workers’ Compensation, Motor Accident Compensation, Public Liability Compensation, Dust Disease compensation and more – there are too many to list them all here.
Doyle’s Guide is an independent organisation that rates law firms and lawyers based on interviews with past clients, peers and other industry bodies. Each year Doyle’s Guide publish a listing of the leading lawyers across various speciality areas of the law in Queensland and Australia.
While this is not the first time we have been recognised by Doyle’s Guide, it is always a privilege to be nominated by our peers and to feature alongside other highly regarded lawyers and law firms.
Learning to laugh at internet trolls
On a less serious note, this year the lovely comments we often receive over social media were displayed over a few LinkedIn posts.
Lawyers can get a bad rap sometimes (a stereotype we work every day to change), so it’s always a good time to post some of the more colourful selection of words used to describe us. While it was great to have a bit of a laugh at our own expense, it was ultimately all in good fun and we just hope we made a few people smile.
Queensland Reds win
This year, order was restored to the universe as the Queensland Reds took their rightful position on the throne of Australian rugby.
It’s been a long time since we last won in 2011, making this season that much sweeter.
I’m sure all my fellow Australian rugby fans can agree with me in saying the future is finally beginning to look promising again for the code.
my New glasses
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, I bought two new pairs of glasses this year.
As anyone who knows me will understand, my glasses are a central part of my look and provide a much-needed personality injection.
I purchased a bright blue pair for those fun days, and a serious pair of ‘lawyer glasses’ for those days when I feel as though I need to look the part — both look great as far as I’m concerned but my youngest daughter Edie thinks otherwise.
Final tips: staying safe this Christmas
While the festive season is always synonymous with relaxing and not worrying about the day-to-day nonsense you spend the rest of the year sweating over, there are still plenty of things to be aware of.
For us, the two biggest potential dangers are around driving, and the inevitable risks that come along with alcohol.
When driving on Queensland’s roads this Christmas, make sure you follow these few simple tips:
- Plan ahead and be flexible with your timetable
- Keep up to date with any changes in road conditions
- Drive to conditions
- Watch out for fatigue on long journeys
- Identify the safest route
- Check your car before you depart
- Remember to buckle up.
For those of you heading to your work Christmas party, there are several things you should be aware of when it comes to being liable for injuring yourself.
See you all in 2022!
That about wraps it up for Gouldson Legal in 2021. We wish you all the very best over the Christmas and holiday period and hope you stay happy and healthy, wherever you are.
Final reminder for the year – our office will be closed from 3:30pm on the 23rd of December and will reopen on Thursday the 6th of January.
We’ll see you next year!