Mr Lewis Shillito

Congratulations Mr Lewis Shillito on being appointed to the bench.

Mr Lewis ShillitoCongratulations to our departing Director of Criminal Law, Mr Lewis Shillito, who leaves us after being appointed as a Magistrate in the latest announcement by Queensland Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath.

It is a bitter-sweet moment as we say farewell to a consummate professional. Still, we are grateful for the time he dedicated to ATSILS and his immense contribution to the organisation in leading our Criminal Law Team.

Without a doubt, it is a big loss – but such is far more than compensated for by the fact that we are all so proud of his onward journey and that ATSILS has played a small part in his stepping stones towards the bench.

ATSILS is also proud that we have now had back-to-back appointments to the bench of our Directors of Criminal Law – with Lewis following in the footsteps of his predecessor Mr Andrew Hackett.

Lewis is a legal practitioner of the highest calibre, and on behalf of the ATSILS Board and CEO, we’d like to acknowledge the fantastic job he has done as our Director of Criminal Law over the past seven years. This is such a well-deserved appointment – and the whole team at ATSILS couldn’t be happier for Lewis.

Congratulations Lewis you are an inspiration to the team, all the best for the exciting journey ahead!

Media Statement:

https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/101200

Mossman Legal Careers
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Mossman High School Careers Day – Inspiring the Next Generation!

Mossman Legal CareersOur Cairns team held a stall at the Mossman High School Careers Day yesterday. It was a fantastic opportunity to engage with the community and give young people an insight into a legal career where they can focus on advancing and protecting the rights of people most in need of access to justice. One student said it was important to see ATSILS presence at this event, allowing Indigenous students to consider the possibility of working in the legal profession. There was also a great turnout of local stakeholders wanting to explore how to collaborate with our new Respect@Work Program which offers Community Legal Education to school leavers and students in alternative learning programs.

All in all, it was a great day out and we hope we played a small part in encouraging the next generation of bright young minds to consider a rewarding career in the legal assistance sector. Thank you to Mossman High School for the opportunity to engage with this fine region of future leaders and community organisations.

Lyle Parker ATSILS
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A great tribute to Lyle Parker in QLS Proctor

Lyle Parker ATSILSA great article by Queensland Law Society Proctor, paying tribute to Lyle Parker, one of ATSILS’s finest!

…The recently retired criminal lawyer just wanted to show “people are people” and make to sure the disadvantaged and vulnerable “were treated with respect and dignity”.

https://www.qlsproctor.com.au/2024/08/hippie-just-focused-on-helping/

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Helping Deadly Young Mob in Cairns “Get Work Ready”.

Once again our team in Cairns delivered the “Get Work Ready” community legal education workshop to IYMP (Cairns) students. The students are completing their final month of study, and this workshop helps prepare them for a successful entry into the workforce by providing timely information on their work rights, how to deal with employment disputes and the array of support organisations available to assist them on their career path.

The students were highly engaged in the session and left feeling equipped to approach the working world confidently. Congratulations to the students who have completed their certificates and all the best for a bright future in the workforce.

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National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day – Innisfail

Members of our Cairns team attended the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day event hosted by Mamu Health Service in Innisfail. It was a joy celebrating our children and getting an insight into the local community’s concerns and finding out where ATSILS may be able to target key services to be part of the solution. The team also provided information on our Respect@Work program which was of interest to the community.

The children’s favourite pick of ATSILS merchandise were the sun hats and drink bottles as pictured. We thank Mamu Health Service and Innisfail for hosting such a warm and engaging community event.