Cam Schroder explains why his Yeppoon law firm has never been busier, resulting in expansion

“Some concreters must pour a slab, drink a slab and drive home because they seem to be getting into strife every week”: Law firm expands as coastal town gets busier.

Solicitor and art enthusiast Cam Schroder, of Cam Schroder Lawyers, stops by the art gallery at Yeppoon. Photo Darryn Nufer.

Lawyers probably look at the proverb “crime doesn’t pay” a little differently to most and Yeppoon’s Cam Schroder is no exception.

The more crime there is, the busier the legal fraternity is representing people who fall foul of the law - it’s a simple equation.

Mr Schroder and his business partner Leonie Davey have just expanded their law firm Cam Schroder Lawyers and as the former explained, crime has been a contributing factor.

“Leonie has come on board as a partner with me, and we’re now a company and we seem to be employing a lot more people,” Mr Schroder said.

“We’ve also recently renovated our reception (Hill Street, Yeppoon) and we had to move down to the new office there for more space.

“We’ve got about seven or eight staff now.

“Look property prices here on the coast are going through the roof - houses go on the market and they sell in 48 hours, they’re just gone, so the property market’s going up.

“And so there’s a lot of conveyancing.

“There’s also a lot of roofers and tradies in the area, and they’re going drinking and getting themselves into trouble for things like drink-driving, as (media) would well know.

“And some concreters must pour a slab, drink a slab and drive home because they seem to be getting into strife every week.

“Look I’d rather they didn’t do it, but someone has to represent them in court and those numbers (of drink and drug-drivers) is growing.”

Drink-driving and drug-driving offenders are reported on regularly when they appear in courts at Yeppoon, Rockhampton and Biloela.

Mr Schroder said the firm was also doing a lot of work with estates and wills.

With things getting busier it was a natural progression to expand.

“And Leonie is from the country and from a farm,” Mr Schroder said.

“So she’s a country girl who country people can relate to.

“Like this bloke phoned in and said ‘my name is Ferguson like the tractor’ and she replied ‘my name is Davey like the pump’ and she connected with him straight away, so she’s good like that.

“Leonie has plenty of skills, she’s also a registered valuer - she’s got that ticket as well as her law degree.”

Originally published as Cam Schroder explains why his Yeppoon law firm has never been busier, resulting in expansion