Top 12 young Sunshine Coast Lawyers | List
From fighting for native titles to running their own firms these are the top 12 Sunshine Coast lawyers making waves in the legal industry.
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The future of the Sunshine Coast’s legal industry has never been brighter with dozens of young gun lawyers showing they are names to be reckoned with in the law arena.
From criminal defence lawyers, compensation solicitors to family law gurus, these are the top 12 young gun lawyers making waves in the Sunshine Coast legal industry.
SEE THE LIST BELOW:
12. Matt Cooper, Chelsea Emery and Associates
Solicitor Matt Cooper has been working in criminal law since 2016 where he has made a name for himself at Maroochydore’s Chelsea Emery and Associates.
He has defended clients with criminal charges in Magistrates, District and Supreme Courts throughout southeast Queensland, especially those who are vulnerable and disadvantaged through his work as a duty lawyer.
Mr Cooper graduated from the University of the Sunshine Coast in 2017 and graduated from the College of Law with a Graduated Diploma in legal practice in 2018, and was admitted the same year.
11. Al Upton – Butler McDermott Lawyers
At the age of 30, Butler McDermott’s Al Upton has made a name for himself on the Sunshine Coast after working under legal eagle Peter Boyce.
After finishing his studies and being admitted in 2017, Mr Upton quickly progressed to become one of the firm’s directors in November 2021.
Mr Upton has successfully litigated disputes in the Supreme and District Courts, and has been a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society, the Queensland Law Society and Sunshine Coast Law Association.
10. Daniel Albert, Omnia Legal
Senior associate of Omnia Legal Daniel Albert has been servicing the Sunshine Coast community since his rise to the legal industry in 2017.
After graduating with a Bachelor of Laws and Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, Mr Albert had stints at firms in Caloundra and Caboolture as well as at the Moreton Bay Regional Council.
He has worked with Omnia Legal for the past three years and in his spare time holds the position of vice president of the Kawana Chamber of Commerce Committee.
9. Gabe Hutchinson, Clutch Legal
Beginning as a prodigy to Sunshine Coast’s Peter Boyce, Gabe Hutchinson has put himself in good stead after beginning his legal career as a law student in 2012.
Mr Hutchinson worked with Butler McDermott Lawyers for seven years where he went from strength to strength, and was admitted in 2017.
Wanting to challenge himself even further, the young prodigy moved on from the Nambour firm and started his own practice entitled Clutch Legal in 2019 and predominantly works in lease and business disputes, contracts and litigation.
8. Callum Lee, Pippa Colman and Associates
Master of all trades Callum Lee has rocketed into the Sunshine Coast legal industry after being admitted to law in 2019 following his graduation from USC.
Mr Lee gained five years’ experience as a trainee solicitor prior to joining Pippa and Colman and Associates in 2021 and worked as a solicitor in estate administration, estate planning, property and conveyancing.
He is now working solely on family law matters along with wills and estates and is an active committee member of the Sunshine Coast Law Association.
7. Jemma Barnard, Travis Schultz and Associates
Jemma Barnard started at Travis Schultz and Partners firm in 2019 and recently became the youngest person at the firm to be named an associate.
Ms Barnard, 26, is a board member of the Suncoast Community Legal Service where she regularly volunteers and is a University of Southern Queensland career mentor.
Specialising in personal injury and compensation law, Ms Barnard’s specialty areas range from workers compensation claims to liability and insurance claims.
6. Tanisha Watts, Life Law Solutions
With degrees in social sciences and law Tanisha Watts has brought elements of both of her tertiary studies to her career as a family law solicitor at Life Law Solutions.
The Sunshine Coast young gun is undertaking a Master of Law along with a double major in family law and was admitted in 2020.
Ms Watts has worked with vulnerable young people in the child protection system as a residential youth worker and was the former president of the University of the Sunshine Coast Law Association.
5. Bridie Edwards, Bradley and Bray Lawyers
Leading commercial lawyer Bridie Edwards has made her mark on the industry after joining the legal profession in 2020, working with Bradley and Bray Lawyers.
Ms Edwards works on complex property matters, corporate advice and large scale commercial transactions since her admission, making her a young gun lawyer to watch in the region.
Her tenacity has earnt her the position as a member of the Queensland Law Society Council, being the youngest to join in its history.
4. David Knobel, P and E Law
The Sunshine Coast’s David Knobel has been recognised as a rising star across Australia through his tireless efforts in native title law.
Working with P and E Law, Mr Knobel was awarded first class honours for his thesis on the Timber Creek native title compensation case and has a background in working in Indigenous affairs.
His tenacity has also led to him being recognised by the peer reviewed Doyle’s Guide in 2021 and 2022 for his work in native title, Indigenous cultural heritage, mining and coal seam gas.
Mr Knobel has also volunteered as the former president of the University of the Sunshine Coast Law Association, and has worked with P and E Law in Maroochydore since 2017.
3. Rachel Last, Travis Schultz and Partners
Travis Schultz and Partners associate Rachel Last has made her mark on the Sunshine Coast through her representation of clients in all matters involving compensation law.
After graduating USC with a Bachelor of Laws with first class honours she was admitted in 2018 and now works in personal injury and compensation claims as well as liability matters.
Ms Last was named as a finalist in both the 2021 Lawyers Weekly 30 Under 30 Awards in the Wellness advocate category and in the 2021 Lawyers Weekly Women in Law Awards in the Rising Star category.
In her downtime she volunteers with the Suncoast Community Legal Service and is an ambassador for the Sunshine Coast Young Chamber of Commerce.
2. Harry McDonald, Aitken Legal
Sunshine Coast solicitor Harry McDonald’s interest in law and politics drew him to a career in the legal industry where he has gone from strength to strength in a matter of years.
After starting in law in 2017 and being admitted the following year, Mr McDonald joined the Greenhalgh Pickard Solicitors where he worked in their property & commercial law team.
Following his hard efforts he rose from being the team leader to becoming an associate director of the firm, the youngest in its history.
Mr McDonald now works with Aitken Legal, and was also appointed to the Queensland Law Society Industrial Law Policy Committee.
1. Jessica Popple, Pippa Colman and Associates
Coming in at number one on our young gun lawyers list is legal dynamo Jessica Popple from Pippa Colman and Associates.
Ms Popple works with the practice in family and succession law after working in a firm in Noosa’s hinterland following her admission to law in 2018.
She has taken on numerous roles including vice president of events for the USC Law Association and vice president of administration for the Australian Law Students’ Association.
Ms Popple completed her Master of Applied Law in Family Law recently and has volunteered at the Suncoast Community Legal Service since 2017 while having a position on its board.
She was a finalist in the 2017 Lawyers Weekly Women in Law Awards in the law student of the year category and is the current president of the Sunshine Coast Law Association and is the youngest District Law Association president in Queensland.
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