Innisfail Lawyers (QLD)

We are lawyers serving the whole of Queensland!

Whilst our physical location is based in South East Queensland the law we cover applies the same throughout Queensland!  Even in Innesfail!

The digital age we live in allows people to engage service providers from anywhere in the world, so why not consider engaging a lawyer 1,500km away.

We can receive your documents, emails and phone calls as quickly and efficiently as a local lawyer working in the high street.

We offer an initial consultation to discuss any matter and that can be done over the telephone.  So what harm can come from making an enquiry and having a chat with us.

Most of the work we do involves paperwork and phone calls and there is little need to physically meet to discuss issues or take instructions from you.  Many of our local clients have never actually met us in person.

When there is a need to have a lengthy discussion ‘face-to-face’ we can utilise skype, facetime or other video-calling programs.  These tend to make the meeting a bit more open and personal.

Innisfail is serviced by a Magistrates and District Court and when court appearances are required, we either organise a telephone appearance (for inconsequential or administrative matters), a town agent (for filing of documents or short uncontested appearances) or we travel ourselves to attend in person and do not charge you any travel costs.

For full contact details of the Innisfail Courthouse here is a link to the Court’s website.

Isn’t a local lawyer best?

A few words on the ‘local lawyer is best’ misconception.  It is often pondered that if you are going to go to court then it’s best to get the local lawyer involved because they know the Judge, the Magistrate and the court staff.  As such, they will get an advantage and be best to represent your interests and get you a win.

Whilst it may be true a local lawyer might know them, you should consider:

• The judiciary decides cases on their merit and the evidence before them only.
• There is not a Judge or Magistrate in Queensland who would make any decision favourable to a lawyer because they knew them, socialised with them, or had a beer with them.
• The important (and deciding) factor is presenting your case in a reasoned, logical and persuasive manner with good research and proper evidence. That is the key to getting that win, not a personal relationship between your lawyer and the Judge or Magistrate.
• Just because a local lawyer might know a Judge or a Magistrate, that doesn’t mean that they like them or think they are any good, or particularly knowledgeable, it might be the complete opposite (not that disliking them would affect a decision in any event, see above).

Statistically, most civil matters that are started in a Civil Court will reach a trial as they reach a consensual settlement at some point along the way to trial.

In today’s legal market, distance is no barrier to providing legal services.  Hiring a lawyer a long distance away from where you live can be as convenient as hiring a lawyer across the road.

In our view, in probably 90% of the matters that are litigated before the Courts, there is no advantage to picking a local lawyer.  There are those exceptions that make up the 10% so it can never be a rule but we would certainly advise anyone against picking a lawyer purely based on their convenient location.

Advantages of an Out-of-Town Lawyer

There are some distinct advantages to engaging an ‘out-of-town’ lawyer to assist in your dispute:

• We may well be better value than the local lawyers.  Do your research and ask the important question on legal costs.
• We may well be more qualified and experienced in dealing with disputes than the local lawyers.  Remember that not all lawyers handle all types of law, especially disputes.
• We are unlikely to know or have worked for the other party you are in dispute with, ensuring there is no conflict of interest going to arise.   This can be a real problem when your local area is small or is serviced by few lawyers or law firms.
• We may well be a better fit for you as a lawyer to deal with your particular issues and help you.  Take a look at our ‘Why Choose Us’ page for more on ensuring you have a great relationship with your lawyer and why that is fundamentally important.

So, if you are looking for legal advice then take a look around our website for the type of legal services we offer and can assist you with.  Receive our clear, frank and honest legal advice!

Check out our advice on what to expect at one of our initial consultations and why you might want to choose us as your lawyer!