ATSILS Sunshine Coast Official Office Opening
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ATSILS Sunshine Coast Official Office Opening

Milestone Moment on the Sunshine Coast 🏛️✨

Last week, we officially cut the ribbon on our brand-new Maroochydore Office! It was an incredible day marked by community, reflection, and growth, officially opened by our CEO Shane Duffy and Sunshine Coast Regional Manager Tim Hishon.

As guests entered the new space, they were welcomed by a beautiful and grounding Acknowledgement of Country, setting a meaningful tone for the celebration.

Both Shane and Tim delivered heartfelt speeches, looking back at the early days of ATSILS on the Sunshine Coast. They reflected on the great camaraderie in overcoming challenges and just how far we have come as an organisation—notably achieving wage parity with other legal assistance providers—and the vital importance of having a modern, purpose-built facility to better serve our staff and community. Tim also shared a deeply moving tribute to his staff, with special mentions for long-serving Legal Practitioner Rod Morgan and former Court Support Officer Trevor Draper, who, alongside Tim, have been the backbone of the proud legacy ATSILS has built on the Coast.

We were privileged to welcome a distinguished group of staff, stakeholders, and dignitaries from the local judiciary to mark this new chapter. Our sincere thanks to everyone who joined us, including:

Judge Long, Judge Cash, and their associates
Legal Aid Queensland
Suncoast Community Legal Service Inc
The DPP & Friends of the Court
Murri Court Elders
Youth Justice
UnitingCare Queensland

A massive thank you as well to Tahne and Donna for all their work in planning the event and for providing the exceptional catering that kept our guests energised throughout the celebration!

Our new office is located at Suite 3/115-117 Aerodrome Road, Maroochydore, QLD 4558 (Entry via Maud St).

This move represents our ongoing commitment to justice, equity, and high-quality legal service delivery to Mob on the Sunshine Coast. The new location brings us closer to the Courts, provides more space for our growing workforce, and will help us better serve our community across the region.

ATSILS Statewide Court Support Officer Gathering 2026
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ATSILS Statewide Court Support Officer Gathering 2026

Our Court Support Officers (CSOs) are the vital backbone of ATSILS frontline service delivery. As local people who deeply understand their communities, they bridge the gap between lawyers and clients—breaking down complex legal jargon, helping Mob navigate the justice system, and ensuring our services are truly accessible.
We recently brought together the first half of our state-wide CSO cohort for a powerful two-day conference in Meanjin (Brisbane) focused on key skill-building, teamwork, and better serving our communities! 22 delegates representing regional offices from Brisbane all the way up to Cairns dove headfirst into high-pressure role-plays, mastering everything from after-hours crisis management to complex courtroom dynamics.
A massive thank you to the facilitation team who did a phenomenal job leading the event: Andrew Palombo (Director of Criminal Law), Kate Power (Deputy Director of Criminal Law), and Senior CSOs Rob Hannam (Brisbane), Kylie Ross (Cairns), and Lauren Chilby (Townsville).
Special shout-out to Kate Power for her incredible work in developing this engaging and impact-driven training curriculum with the team. Once again, we extend a big thank you to Aiden Harrison and Angela Jacob for their work in planning the event and getting all the team to Brisbane.
We are so proud of the deep cultural knowledge, lived experience, and dedication our CSOs bring to the frontline every single day. Congratulations to our first group of deadly CSO delegates—who embraced the engaging content and excelled with every practical scenario and role-play thrown at them. We can’t wait to see our second cohort bring the same energy in August! 💪🏾
#ATSILS #CourtSupport #AccessToJustice #CommunityFirst #FrontlineHeroes #QueenslandJustice

2026 ATSILS Leadership Gathering
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2026 ATSILS Leadership Gathering

✨ Reflecting on an inspiring week of connection and growth! ✨
 

The 2026 ATSILS Leadership Gathering held last week in Meanjin (Brisbane) kicked off with inspiring opening remarks, and a powerful Acknowledgement of Country by our Chair Ken Georgetown, CEO Shane Duffy, and PLO Greg Shadbolt.

What followed at the Voco Hotel was an intensive and collaborative two days dedicated to elevating our strategic vision, sharing frontline insights, and driving organisational excellence. 💼✨

The core focus of this year’s conference was creating an invaluable opportunity for leaders from all corners of the state to come together and take a deep dive into the dynamics of workforce development and the key systems and processes that support their leadership.

The gathering served as an engaging forum for cross-regional ideas, collaborative problem-solving, and shared strategies.

Our teams engaged in a comprehensive training program specifically structured to enhance leadership capabilities—ensuring we continue to build sustainable, high-performing workplaces across Queensland.

A huge thank you to the fantastic internal and external presenters who delivered the program:

  • Jharna Mullins (LAQ) for crucial insights into grants training and support.
  • Our IT and Project Team for guiding us through the upcoming Electronic Record Management System updates.
  • Gretel Hunnerup for providing practical frameworks on maximising performance review discussions.
  • Tallena Johnston (ATSILS) for navigating complex case studies in WHS, conflict resolution, and staff transitions.
  • Adam Ross & Natalie Cranston (ATSILS) for their strategic session on optimising recruitment.
  • Dr. James Coleman (Elite Distance Runner) for an incredible guest presentation, translating AFL leadership and the 5R model directly into workplace success.

Once again, we extend our sincere gratitude to the our People and Organisational Development (POD) team and to Angela Jacob for their outstanding efforts in coordinating another highly successful event. Furthermore, we commend Aiden Harrison for his exceptional facilitation of the event throughout the two-day program.

Our leaders returned home to their regions equipped with enhanced leadership insights, fresh perspectives, and an elevated capacity to support our staff and advocate for our communities. 🌟🙌 💪🖤💛❤️💚💙🖤

 

🚛📢 Our Maroochydore Office is Moving! 📢 🚛
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🚛📢 Our Maroochydore Office is Moving! 📢 🚛

ATSILS Maroochydore office is relocating to a new location just around the corner!

The new address is Suite 3/115-117 Aerodrome Road, Maroochydore, QLD 4558.

Situated on the corner of Aerodrome Road & Maud Street, the new location will bring us closer to the Courts, provide more space for our growing workforce and will help us better serve our community across the Sunshine Coast.

——-
Key Dates to Remember:
Thursday, 27th of November & Friday, 28th of November 2025: Our Maroochydore office will be closed on these days as we move.

Urgent client needs: Our dedicated statewide team will be taking urgent calls to our Maroochydore office (Ph: 5452 7633) during the move to ensure you get the help you need. Remember, for urgent criminal law matters, you can always call 1800 012 255 24/7.

Our Maroochydore team are excited to welcome you to our new office from Monday, 1st of December 2025!

Congratulations to our Sunshine Coast Regional Manager – Tim Hishon
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Congratulations to our Sunshine Coast Regional Manager – Tim Hishon

25 Years Strong! Congratulations to our Sunshine Coast Regional Manager – Tim Hishon who has been recognised by the Queensland Law Society for an incredible 25 years of service to the legal profession.! 👏🎉

Tim received his silver membership pin at a special event last week that celebrated the unique “salt air” spirit of the Sunshine Coast legal community.

It was said best on the night:

“It’s a community where professional respect and personal kindness often go hand in hand… To our honourees – thank you for the mentorship, the advocacy and the steady hands you’ve lent to this profession.”

Tim, thank you for your decades of perseverance, your adaptability (having seen fax machines come and go!), and your unwavering commitment to justice for our people.

Please join us in the comments to wish Tim a huge congratulations! 🧡🖤💛

#ATSILS #SunshineCoast #Community #LegalHero #Congratulations #Dedication

View:

Something in the air at Sunshine Coast

First Nations Moot – Toowoomba
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First Nations Moot – Toowoomba

🌟 Well done to Andrew Gower (Client Services Officer, Toowoomba and UNISQ Law Student) for participating in this year’s First Nations Moot!

Andrew and fellow UNISQ law student Caiden showcased incredible talent and dedication, doing our Toowoomba office proud and representing UNISQ with distinction. They faced tough competition, ultimately falling to formidable teams from Bond and Griffith Universities.

A massive thank you to the incredible mentors who supported them through the process, including Kristie Smith (UNISQ First Nations Lead & ex-ATSILS Lawyer), as well as Christianne and Sharon (Criminal Lawyers, ATSILS Toowoomba Office).

Christianne and Sharon were exceptionally generous with their time, allowing the students to shadow them at the Magistrates Court, providing invaluable, real-world insight into court proceedings. This mentorship and collegiate spirit are traits we are proud of at ATSILS and are vital in supporting the next generation of First Nations legal professionals along their justice journey.

We’re thrilled to hear the First Nations Moot will now be an annual event. We are looking forward to supporting the team next year!

Congratulations to Harry Sharples from our Southport office on his recent admission to the Supreme Court of Queensland!
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Congratulations to Harry Sharples from our Southport office on his recent admission to the Supreme Court of Queensland!

A huge congratulations to Harry Sharples from our Southport office on his recent admission to the Supreme Court of Queensland! ⚖️ This is a massive achievement and a testament to his dedication and hard work.

A special shout-out to Saran Kaun, a family lawyer from our Beenleigh office, who moved Harry’s admission—a wonderful display of the support and collaboration we share across our firm. Many colleagues from our Beenleigh and Southport offices also joined his family at the ceremony and enjoyed a celebratory lunch afterwards.

Harry has been an invaluable paralegal at our Southport office. While the Southport team will surely miss his contributions, they’re proud to see him begin the next chapter of his journey in our Beenleigh office next month.

Please join us in wishing Harry all the best as he officially starts his career as a lawyer! 🚀

Our Normanton Office has moved!
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Our Normanton Office has moved!

New Normanton Office

Normanton Office Has Moved!

Our Normanton office has successfully relocated to a new address at 70 Landsborough Street.

Well done to Craig and the entire team in Mt Isa for their hard work and assistance. Special thanks to Ross and Ben, who travelled from the Brisbane office to manage the move and provide their assistance (and their top-notch carpet-laying skills).

This new and improved space will allow us to better serve the legal needs of the Normanton community. It will also cater to visiting lawyers from our regional office in Mount Isa, helping us enhance access to justice for the community.

We look forward to this new chapter and continuing to serve our clients from this fantastic new location.

 

Our phone, fax, and PO Box details remain the same.

PO Box 55, Normanton QLD 4890

Phone: (07) 4745 1118

Fax: (07) 4745 1104

 

 

Our CLE Team in NQ participate in the ‘Everyday Legal Training for Frontline Workers’ event
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Our CLE Team in NQ participate in the ‘Everyday Legal Training for Frontline Workers’ event

ATSILS CLE Our Community Legal Education staff in North Queensland participated in the ‘Everyday Legal Training for Frontline Workers’ CLE event in May, coordinated by LawRight and hosted by James Cook University in Cairns.

This full-day event saw presentations from LawRight, ATSILS, North Queensland Women’s Legal Service, Cairns Community Legal Centre and Basic Rights Qld. Kimberly Thornley and Paige Ryan of ATSILS presented sessions to the group of 70 frontline support workers on the topics of ‘Rights and Respect in the Workplace’ and ‘Supporting families with child protection matters’. Other sessions included legal options for victim-survivors of violence, debt solutions for people in financial hardship, effectively interacting with Centrelink and legal protections for people who buy a lemon car.

The purpose of this CLE event was to provide a series of in-person presentations and smaller workshops designed to provide specialist, practical training to help frontline workers navigate the complex legal systems impacting the people they support. Attendees on the day included staff from local and nearby regional services such as various neighbourhood centres, Anglicare, Relationships Australia, DFV support workers and counsellors, social workers, homelessness support workers and JCU students seeking to broaden their knowledge. This event provided a great opportunity for services to collaborate through CLE delivery and facilitated active audience participation and discussion. The team had a great day and thoroughly enjoyed taking part and sharing knowledge with all in attendance.

Hervey Bay Community engagement and Service Access
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Hervey Bay Community engagement and Service Access

ATSILS Hervey Bay

Our team in Hervey Bay joined the vibrant community Colour Run organized by @DeadlyChoices this week. Hundreds of Indigenous and non-Indigenous kids participated in the 2km Fun Run, along with some young-at-heart adults.

Our team was thrilled to be a part of this exciting event, and attended alongside local community organizations that included PCYC, The Neighbourhood Centre, Deadly Choices, and The Wesley Financial Counselling Service. We had a great time engaging with the local community and spreading awareness about our services.

More than 600 kids attended the event and were sprayed with coloured powder creating a kaleidoscope of colour. There was great community spirit present, and you could see it wasn’t just about winning, but about enjoying the experience to the fullest. The positive energy and infectious enthusiasm made it a day to remember.