Downs and South West Queensland Law Association
(DSWQLA)
Downs & South West Qld Law Association
The Downs & South West Queensland Law Association was originally established in its present form in 1937. In fact, the Association is a little piece of history all on its own, as it is the oldest Law Association of Queensland. The Association is said to have been established in the late 19th Century; however, fell off the radar in the early 20th Century. Eventually, the Association was restarted in 1937 and has remained in operation since that time.
The Association prides itself on being an integral part of the legal community on the Darling Downs and in South Western Queensland.
The Association provides its members with an array of events which focus on both networking and education through professional development programs and courses. The Association organises regular continuing legal education seminars since 2015, as well as assisting to run the Toowoomba Intensive of the Queensland Law Society CLE program.
Benefits for members include invitations to social events within the region, including the early year Cocktail function, Annual Law Ball, and the end of year Christmas Party. Further, members have access to attend the professional development programs and courses, and access to educational updates.
I've met so many who have opened doors for me and remained in my life both personally and professionally. After a while, networking doesn't feel like 'networking.' It's both serendipitous and unpredictable, and something that just naturally becomes part of your work life and your personal life.
Narciso Rodriguez
2023 Committee
Bill Munro
President
Bill was admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland in 1978. He is an accredited specialist in Personal Injuries Law.
He sees the District Law Association as playing an integral part in the effective delivery of legal services to the community and for the well-being and governance of the profession within the region.
Bill is anxious to ensure that the traditional values and professional courtesies which have distinguished the profession over the centuries are maintained and at the same time ensuring that the practice of law remains relevant, rewarding and interesting to its members.
He is heartened by the advances in technology which enable continuing legal education to be made available to members throughout the region and by the camaraderie and goodwill which is evident among practitioners, despite the rough and tumble of everyday practice with its associated stressors.
He is committed to ensuring that the views and concerns of members are well known by the judiciary and the government of the day. He recognises that the profession is under scrutiny at many levels of society and is committed to leading the association in this region by seeking to ensure that its members continue as “…ethical, engaged professionals and citizens who understand the social, economic and environmental influences on and impact of their actions, and who are self-directed, resourceful, resilient and adaptable to change”*.
* University of Southern Queensland School of Law and Justice
Sarah de Wit
Secretary, 2022 & 2023
Sarah is a Solicitor at Murdoch Lawyers and acts for landholders in negotiations with Mining, Energy and Resource companies. Sarah also has expertise in compulsory acquisitions and commercial litigation. Sarah is passionate about regional and rural lawyering and loves to give back to the local profession through her involvement in the DSWQLA.
Sarah is on our Early Career Lawyers Sub-committee, the Law Right Legal Walk 2022 Sub-committee, and the Law Ball Sub-committee.
Naomi Cox
Committee Member
Naomi works as a Solicitor at Redhill Legal practicing in family law, child protection and domestic violence. Naomi has been involved with the Association and a committee member since 2011.
Naomi is on our Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Sub-committee and is an organiser of the Annual Ladies in Law Luncheon.
Carolyn Howe
Committee Member
Carolyn was first admitted in the United Kingdom in 1997, and then Australia in 2004.Carolyn is currently Special Counsel at Shine Lawyers, and a past President of the Downs & South Western Qld Law Association.
Carolyn is on our 2022 Law Right Legal Walk Sub-committee and has been instrumental in organising the Toowoomba Walk for a number of years on our Committee.
Alex Edwards
Committee Member
Treasurer 2021 & 2022
Alex was admitted in 2019 and is a solicitor with Wonderley & Hall. She practices predominantly in Wills & Estates to assist people who are preparing for or navigating some of life's toughest moments.
Alex grew up in the Toowoomba region; having completed her high school studies locally and obtained her Bachelor of Laws from the University of Southern Queensland. Alex is well established in our region and recognises the importance of our small community mentality and the benefits of connections.
Alex is on our Early Career Lawyers Sub-committee.
Alysha jacobsen
Vice President, 2023
Marketing Officer, 2023
Alysha holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, being amongst the first cohort of graduates in 2011. She was admitted as a legal practitioner in the Supreme Court of Queensland in October 2012. Alysha has worked in the criminal law sector in Toowoomba for over 10 years.
Alysha is a Senior Associate at Bouchier Khan Lawyers and she appears almost daily in the Toowoomba Magistrates Court on a range of criminal, domestic violence and traffic matters. She appears in Courts across the Darling Downs and regularly appears in the District and Supreme Courts.
In 2020, 2021 and 2022 she was named in the Women Lawyers Association of Queensland Inspo List of women who have inspired.
Alysha is on our Annual Cocktail Party sub-committee and the Law Ball sub-committee.
Stafford Mortensen
Treasurer, 2023
Stafford his a solicitor with Wonderley & Hall, having being admitted in 2021. Stafford practices in the areas of Family and Criminal law.
Stafford completed his high schooling and university in Toowoomba and is a local through and through.
Along with serving on the executive committee as our Treasurer, Stafford also sits as a member of the Queensland Law Society Future Leaders Committee.
Stafford is on our Law Ball Sub-committee and assists the Association with budgeting for all our events.
Sarah-Jane is a solicitor with MacDonald Law, having commenced working with her Father in 2006. She finished her schooling and undertook her University studies in Toowoomba and is very committed to improving our region. Sarah-Jane was awarded the Toowoomba Region's Young Citizen of the Year award in 2011 for her community involvement.
Sarah-Jane primarily practises family law and is focused on working within collaborative law approaches to achieve client and child focused outcomes.
This is Sarah-Jane's fourth year on the management committee, and second year on the Executive Committee.
Sarah-Jane MacDonald
Immediate Past President
Kirstie Smith
Committee Member
Kirstie is a Mununjali, Yugembeh woman practicing in criminal and family law with Kennedy Spanner Lawyers. She holds a dual Bachelor in Laws and Arts. Kirstie has experience working in both prosecution and criminal defence law, allowing her clients the confidence of having culturally supportive and sensitive representation from Toowoomba’s only practising female Aboriginal criminal lawyer.
Kirstie commenced on the 2022 DSWQLA committee with experience on USQ Law Society (USQLS) as Careers and Education Officer, for which she obtained the inaugural President’s Award in 2019. She worked full-time while studying her dual degree, raising three children and undertaking volunteer roles with USQLS, Social Justice Commission Dignity Project, Off the Chain K9 Rescue Toowoomba, and tutoring Indigenous students at USQ under the Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme (ITAS).
She is a member of Future Leaders Committee with QLS, Women Lawyers Association Queensland, Australian Lawyers for Human Rights Inc, and Indigenous Lawyers Association Queensland. Kirstie continues her volunteer work through both DSWQLA and the Social Justice Commission Dignity Project.
Kirstie is on our Early Career Lawyers Sub-committee, Regional & Rural Roadshow sub-committee, the Law Ball Sub-committee, the Annual Cocktail Function Sub-committee, and the Law Right Legal Walk Sub-committee. She is routinely invited to speak on panels in the areas of criminal law, First Nations issues and as USQ Alumni.
Kiri Edyvean-Rouhan
Committee Member
After graduating from the Queensland University of Technology with first class honours, Kiri initially commenced her legal career in Brisbane before returning to Toowoomba in 2012. Kiri has worked exclusively in structuring, estate planning and estate administration since this time.
Kiri works for Clifford Gouldson Lawyers as an Associate. She assists clients across the spectrum: from young couples preparing their first Will, to families looking to protect their adult children’s inheritance, to older couples transitioning to retirement. Kiri has a particular passion for asset protection strategies, estate planning for families where a beneficiary has a disability, and post-death Superannuation disputes.
Kiri is on our Annual Cocktail Party Sub-committee.
Executive Committee
Committee Members