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Jeremy Roche now a QLD Law Society Accredited Specialist in Personal Injury Law!

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We congratulate Partner Jeremy Roche for obtaining his Specialist Accreditation in Personal Injury Law (QLD).  Legal Practice Director Jeff Garrett discusses the significance of this accreditation in personal injury law.

What is a Specialist Accreditation?

The Queensland Law Society (QLS) Specialist Accreditation program is designed to acknowledge legal practitioners who are at the top of their field in the practice of law in the area of their speciality. Accredited Specialists are in the top 1% of the profession in that field.

The QLS has set a very high bar for legal practitioners to obtain their accreditation and the knowledge and standards that are expected from the participants are very high.  So much so that there is a high failure rate for those who undertake the course.  The accreditation course is offered every 2 years and the number of practitioners who are allowed to complete the course are limited.  The people who most benefit from this accreditation are our clients who receive the benefit of this specialisation in the particular area of law.  In Jeremy’s case it is QLD personal injury law.

How difficult is the Specialist Accreditation course to pass?

The accreditation course is extremely difficult for legal practitioners to pass.  Not only does it have a high failure rate but it is designed to ensure that practitioners have an extremely high standard across all facets of the practice of law.  Firstly, the accreditation candidate must furnish appropriate references from acceptable referees to show that they are a person of good character and must have the prerequisite of a minimum of 5 years post admission experience in the area of law concerned, as well as have at least 25% of their practice in the same area of law.  Their application must be approved by the Specialist Accreditation Committee before they can even undertake the rigorous academic requirements of the program.

They must then complete an assignment within a certain timeframe and obtain a percentage mark of above 65%.  They must then sit a 3 hour examination and answer all questions involved with a minimum pass mark for each question of 65% and an overall pass mark of 65% or better (which would be the equivalent to a high distinction for a University degree).  They must also conduct a mock interview with a client which is videoed and reviewed by the Specialist Accreditation Board.  The mock video can often be the downfall of candidates as it closely examines the legal practitioner’s ability to communicate with clients and provide the correct advice.

The course is done within a certain timeframe and must be conducted by the legal practitioner whilst they are usually handling a heavy file load of cases.  When you combine this work file load with the study requirements and their general family life, it can be an extremely stressful and testing time for candidates to complete the accreditation program.

What is the benefit to our clients?

A specialist accreditation equips the legal practitioner with the additional specialist knowledge and communication skills to provide clients with the best advice possible in relation to their claim.  We are fortunate at Attwood Marshall that our lawyers already practice exclusively in the areas that they seek to specialise in.  The specialist accreditation program enhances this theme of ensuring that the lawyer is truly at the top of their game in relation to their area of expertise.

Attwood Marshall has always had a large personal injuries practice and in its heyday boasted 6 accredited specialists in that area.  By attaining his specialist accreditation, Jeremy joins partner Chris Clarke as a fellow accredited specialist in personal injuries law.  Chris obtained his specialist accreditation through the NSW Law Society in 2004.  Chris and Jeremy now “bookend” the specialist accreditation for both QLD and NSW and ensure that the personal injuries department has all bases covered.

The emphasis on acting exclusively in these areas of personal injury law is directly beneficial to our clients who gain the experience and knowledge of our specialists in relation to their claims.  Their additional knowledge and training are also invaluable in coaching and training our junior solicitors, graduates and paralegals in this important area of law.

Background of Jeremy Roche

Jeremy completed his schooling at Brisbane Boys College and was Valedictorian in his senior year, as well as receiving the Academic Excellence Award. He completed his law degree at Bond University with honours.

Jeremy started work at Attwood Marshall in March 2009 as an admitted lawyer (2008) in our personal injuries department.  Jeremy had previously worked for 6 years with his father Dr Kevin Roche who is a very successful and well respected barrister at the QLD Bar in Brisbane.  Jeremy’s father Kevin specialises in personal injury cases and Jeremy had a very solid upbringing in relation to personal injury claims generally.

He began his tutelage in personal injury law at Attwood Marshall under the watchful eye of partner Chris Clarke and worked his way to through the ranks to become a senior associate. Completing his specialist accreditation was a natural step for Jeremy and he is the complete legal practitioner in personal injury law as a result of this. He is very careful to fully understand his clients and develop a theme for their case. He is empathetic and understands how stressful being severely injured can affect a person’s life and family.

Jeremy lives locally with his wife and 2 young children. He thoroughly enjoys practising as a lawyer in personal injuries and obtains great results for his clients.

We congratulate Jeremy on obtaining his specialist accreditation and wish him well for the future.

If you require any further information about Gold Coast personal injury lawyers please do not hesitate to contact Department Manager Kelli Costin on direct line 07 5506 8220, Freecall 1800 621 071 or email:  kcostin@attwoodmarshall.com.au for a free initial consultation and discuss our ‘no win no fee’ guarantee. We have a dedicated team of lawyers who specialise in this area of law and practice exclusively in personal injury claims.

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Jeff Garrett - Legal Practice Director - Wills & Estates, Estate Litigation, Property & Commercial, Compensation Law, Commercial Litigation, Criminal Law, Racing & Equine Law

Jeff Garrett

Legal Practice Director
Wills & Estates, Estate Litigation, Property & Commercial, Compensation Law, Commercial Litigation, Criminal Law, Racing & Equine Law

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Disclaimer
The contents of this article are considered accurate as at the date of publication. The information contained in this article does not constitute legal advice and is of a general nature only. Readers should seek legal advice about their specific circumstances. 

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