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Leading Lawyers Townsville
Sometimes, all you need is a fresh perspective. Connolly Suthers are North Queensland’s most experienced and qualified law firm. Established in 1895 with a foundation of leading Townsville lawyers, Connolly Suthers has since become one of North Queensland’s largest, most diverse, and dynamic firms.
Employing a range of expert Queensland lawyers who offer specialist legal advice, Connolly Suthers comprises a team of individual talents working under collective energy. Originating from Townsville Connolly Suthers deliver Queensland’s highest standards of legal help, advice, and services.
We work under the belief that strong reputations don't go unnoticed, and this is why our firm has continued to successfully service the legal needs of North Queenslanders for over 128 years. Work with a law firm that understands you and prioritises your needs – work with Connolly Suthers.
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When to Hire an Insolvency Lawyer in Australia
When to Hire an Insolvency Lawyer in Australia According to the latest government reports, 9,545 personal insolvency cases were recorded in Australia between 2021 and 2022, and 7,942 Australian companies reported corporate insolvency in the 2022-2023 financial year — a 50% increase from the previous year. With those figures, it’s not paranoid to consider hiring an insolvency lawyer — it’s a wise precaution. In this article, we’ll explain what insolvency lawyers can do for individuals and businesses and the best time to approach one. What is Insolvency in Australia? Insolvency occurs when a company or individual cannot pay their bills and debts as they come due. It’s important to distinguish insolvency from bankruptcy — insolvency applies to corporate bodies, while bankruptcy applies to individuals. Debtors declared personally insolvent are dealt with under the Bankruptcy Act 1966, and insolvent companies are dealt with under the Corporations Act 2001. Though these acts share similar provisions, their proceedings vary. What is Corporate Insolvency? Corporate insolvency occurs when a business’s total liabilities exceed the value of its assets. Corporate insolvency can be determined by the ‘cash-flow test’, which assesses a company’s ability to pay its debts — or sell its assets fast enough to pay its debts — or the ‘balance sheet test’, which compares a company’s liabilities to the total sum of its assets. What is Personal Insolvency? Personal insolvency is a legal alternative to bankruptcy and a legal agreement a debtor can reach with their creditors when they can no longer afford to repay their debts. What Do Insolvency Lawyers Do? Insolvency lawyers — sometimes called bankruptcy lawyers — provide services to individuals or businesses in insolvency. They can assist across: Debt Restructuring and Negotiation Insolvency lawyers can negotiate with your creditors to: Reach favourable repayment plans Modify loan terms Reach debt settlement agreements Your insolvency lawyer will analyse your financial situation and create strategies to restructure your debts. Their efforts are intended to provide viable solutions that will allow you to regain financial stability and avoid having to file for bankruptcy. Bankruptcy Proceedings and Compliance Unfortunately, when debt restructuring and negotiation fail, bankruptcy becomes a necessity. Insolvency lawyers can guide individuals and businesses through the bankruptcy process, file official paperwork with the court, and ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations. Asset Protection and Liquidation If you work with an insolvency lawyer, you may be able to save some of your assets or property from being liquidated during bankruptcy proceedings. An insolvency lawyer analyses and advises on exempt and non-exempt assets, ensuring that your assets are fairly and legally distributed. Hiring an Insolvency Lawyer: When and How to Do It Insolvency rarely occurs without red flags and warning signs showing up first. Usually, getting legal assistance is a difficult decision resulting from the accumulation of several factors. You may hire an insolvency lawyer if: You are in financial debt. Creditors are suing you. You cannot pay bills as they are due. You are considering filing for bankruptcy. Ideally, you’ll contact an insolvency lawyer long before filing for bankruptcy. Insolvency lawyers can advise you of the risks and opportunities you face, and in best-case scenarios, they can help to prevent insolvency altogether. Unfortunately, they can do none of that if you only reach out to them when you can no longer afford their services, i.e., after you are declared bankrupt. To time it right, consider your financial situation carefully and reach out to a lawyer before it grows too dire. If you or your company are already in financial debt or otherwise troubled, ask an insolvency lawyer how much they will charge and the payment method. From there, your lawyer will thoroughly analyse your debts and financial situation and work closely with you to create solutions to resolve, mitigate, or navigate insolvency. Final Thoughts Insolvency is a state that no person or business wants to be in, but once you realise you’re approaching it, the best way to get your head back above water is to hire an insolvency lawyer. Connolly Suthers is the most trusted law firm in Far North Queensland, with a team of capable insolvency lawyers ready to help restructure your debts. If you’re a business or individual suffering from or near corporate or personal insolvency, we’re here to help.
Superannuation Updates - 2023
Below is a round-up of some superannuation changes and key developments that may be relevant to you, as trustee of your SMSF. It is important that you know what changes are coming, so you can effectively understand how they may affect you and the members of your SMSF.We intend to regularly provide you with these updates as a way of helping you plan for your retirement and identify any opportunities that can assist you to grow your superannuation savings. IMPORTANT REMINDERS Transfer Balance Account Reporting From 1 July 2023, SMSF trustees will be required to report Transfer Balance Cap events to the ATO no later than 28 days following the end of the quarter in which the event occurred – even if the member’s total super balance is less than $1 million.Further, all unreported events that occur before 30 September 2023 must be reported by 28 October 2023. Minimum pension requirement – account-based pensions SMSFs paying account-based pensions, including market linked pensions, are required to pay at least a minimum amount each year. When calculating the minimum payment requirements for account-based pensions, using a member’s pension balance at 1 July 2023, the 50% reduction that has applied in recent years will no longer apply. The 50% reduction in the minimum pension drawdown rate will not apply to pension payments for the 2023-24 financial year. Limited Recourse Borrowing Arrangement – Safe Harbour Interest rates Generally speaking, SMSF trustees must ensure all investments are conducted on an arm’s-length basis. Where an SMSF borrows money from a related party under a Limited Recourse Borrowing Arrangement (LRBA), the ATO has previously provided guidance on what is required to ensure such a loan is on arm’s length terms for tax purposes.As part of that guidance, the ATO provided some safe harbour loan terms. For SMSF trustees relying on these safe harbour terms, the interest rate to be charged in 2023-24 has increased to:• Real property: 8.85%• Listed shares or units: 10.85% Rollovers – SuperStream From 1 July 2023, all rollovers to and from an SMSF, now require a fund trustee to have a rollover enabled Electronic Service Address (ESA) to execute the rollover using SuperStream. SMSF auditors will be required to report a rollover as a breach of the SuperStream standards if it has been actioned without an active rollover enabled ESA from 1 July 2023. Previously, limited temporary relief had been provided to SMSFs by the ATO, to allow certain rollovers to be processed outside of SuperStream without trustees incurring any penalties. However this relief ended on 30 June 2023. Increase in value of penalty units Under the SMSF penalty regime, various breaches will give rise to penalties that are expressed in terms of penalty units. Where an infringement occurs on or after 1 July 2023, the value of each penalty unit has increased to $313 (up from $275). Valuation of fund assets - 4 JULY 2023 The ATO has issued a reminder to SMSF trustees that, as part of preparing their fund’s accounts, statements, and SMSF Annual Return they are required to value the fund assets at market value.To support this, the ATO’s SMSF valuation guidelines provide a useful resource to fund trustees. Re-structuring market linked pensions - 21 JUNE 2023 SMSF members are usually able to restructure existing market-linked pensions by stopping an existing, and starting a new, pension.In some cases, this may result in some individuals receiving an excess transfer balance determination from the ATO – for exceeding their Transfer Balance Cap. The good news is that members can now commute the excess amount from their otherwise non-commutable market linked pension without breaching the pension standards.However, the ATO has made it abundantly clear that where an SMSF trustee is seeking to remove an excess transfer balance amount from a market-linked pension, they cannot commute any of the capital supporting a restructured market linked pension (MLP) until a commutation authority has been issued by the Commissioner. This means a member must wait for at least 60 days from when they are issued with an excess transfer balance determination. This legislated 60-day election period cannot be shortened. In our experience, a member should then expect to wait at least another 28 days before the ATO will issue a commutation authority. Non-arm’s length expenses (NALE) – Draft legislation - 19 JUNE 2023 Following the earlier release of a consultation paper, and a period of industry consultation, the Government released Treasury Laws Amendment (Measures for Consultation) Bill 2023: Non-arm’s length expense rules for superannuation funds.This draft legislation contains several changes that seek to amend the Non-arm’s length income (NALI) provisions to address the potential for disproportionately severe outcomes for breaches relating to general expenses.Perhaps of most significance for SMSFs, the proposed amendments would result in the maximum amount of income taxable at the highest marginal rate being two times the level of the general expenditure breach – calculated as the difference between the amount that would have been charged as an arm’s length expense and the amount that was actually charged to the fund. The Government had previously proposed that this be set to five times. These measures are not yet law. Property development – ATO Taxpayer Alert - 15 JUNE 2023 The ATO issued Taxpayer Alert (TA) 2023/2 which deals with “Diverting profits of a property development project to a self-managed superannuation fund, through use of a special purpose vehicle, involving non-arm’s length arrangements.”Outlined in this Taxpayer Alert are arrangements of concern to the ATO which broadly involve SMSF trustees investing, directly or indirectly, in a special purpose vehicle which undertakes property development.The Alert outlines the ATO’s view that non-arm’s length dealings by any party, in respect of any step, in relation to a scheme, can give rise to Non-arm’s length income (NALI). This extends to any capital gains derived on the subsequent disposal of an SMSF’s interest in the special purpose vehicle.The ATO’s concerns generally revolve around the lack of commerciality and the inappropriate diversion of profits from property development projects to an SMSF. First Home Super Saver Scheme (FHSSS) – Improved Flexibility - 14 JUNE 2023 The FHSSS allows an individual to withdraw up to $50,000 of voluntary contributions (plus associated earnings/less tax) from their super fund to assist with the purchase of a new home. The maximum amount of contributions an individual can make each year, that will be counted towards the FHSSS, is currently $15,000 p.a.The Government has introduced Treasury Laws Amendment (2023 Measures No. 3) Bill 2023, to improve the flexibility of the FHSSS.Accordingly, under this new bill, once legislated:• individuals will be able to amend or revoke their application to the ATO to release super under the FHSSS. Under the current law, this is not permitted.• individuals will have more time to request a release authority after they have entered into a contract to buy or construct a home, from 14 days to 90 days. Illegal Early Access to Super - 7 JUNE 2023 The ATO published a reminder that cases of illegal early access to super will not go unpunished. To highlight this warning, the ATO cited a recent AAT Case, WZWK and Commissioner of Taxation (Taxation) [2023] AATA 872. The taxpayer in this case was found to have breached the superannuation payment standards by illegally making payments from the SMSF to himself as a member – which did not meet a condition of release. The Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) affirmed the ATO Commissioners earlier decision to amend the individual taxpayer’s personal income tax assessments, impose tax shortfall penalties and disqualify the trustee due to not being a fit and proper person following an ATO audit which uncovered illegal early release of superannuation benefits. This resulted in the taxpayer owing around $413,000 in additional tax and over $179,000 in tax shortfall penalties because they had made false and misleading statements in their income tax returns. ATO Statistics – SMSF quarterly statistical report (March 2023) - 24 MAY 2023 The ATO issued its quarterly statistical report which provides a number of interesting insights, including:• Total SMSFs: 606,217• Total SMSF members: 1,136,234• Total estimated SMSF assets: $889.5 billion• The top asset types held by SMSFs (by value): - listed shares (29%) - cash and term deposits (15%).• 53% of SMSF members are male and 47% are female• 87% of SMSF members are 45 years or older. Validity of Binding Death Benefit Nomination (BDBN) - 5 MAY 2023 Among other things, in the case of Williams v Williams & Anor [2023] QSC 90 the court was asked to consider whether a Binding Death Benefit Nomination (BDBN) was valid. Broadly, in this case, a deceased member’s BDBN had been executed by the deceased member (i.e. executed by himself, albeit in his capacity as a fund trustee). The relevant provisions in the fund’s trust deed required that the trustees be given written notice of a BDBN. However, the second trustee (i.e. the deceased member’s son) was not given written notice. And as such, it was held that the BDBN was not valid. The findings from this case provides yet another reminder of the importance of precisely following the terms of a fund’sgoverning rules, to ensure than any BDBNs made by fund members are valid.
INJURED QLD NURSE – AWARDED $1.6M IN DAMAGES
INJURED QLD NURSE – AWARDED $1.6M IN DAMAGES A Queensland Nurse badly injured during a patient restraint gone wrong has been awarded $1.6M in Damages for Robina Hospital’s failure to provide adequate Hospital Security Justice Ryan of the Supreme Court of Brisbane handed down their Decision on 23 June 2023 in the matter of Trinet Ruth Wilson v Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service [2023] QSC 135 finding Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service liable to pay $1,634,418.55 to a Registered Nurse badly injured during a shift on 12 March 2016 at the Robina Hospital. Key points from Justice Ryan in reaching their Decision, as follows:- Wilson was a Registered Nurse aged 39 at the time of her injury [1, 12]. She was involved in the restraint of a patient with dementia, who had been difficult, disruptive, acting out physically and refusing medication [1]. Security Guards were called to assist in administering the patient’s anti-psychotic medication [42]. Two Security Guards (instead of three) arrived to assist with restraining the patient [45]. The Security Guards marched/dragged the patient back to her room. She was elevated and resisting [46]. The Security Guards restrained one arm each. The patient’s legs were flying, kicking and thrashing about [47]. Nurse Wilson was over the base of the patient’s bed, placed her hands around the patient’s ankles, pushed them to keep them straight so that she would not move while another Nurse injected her thigh [48]. After the injection was given, Nurse Wilson made sure her colleague administering the injection was out of the way, Nurse Wilson and the Security Guards all let go at the same time. As Nurse Wilson let go of the patient’s legs “both feet, like, nearly connect with my face and I’ve managed to, like, come from this position and I arched back really quick and I felt her feet. And then I noticed she had thrown like, her arm movement, like she was throwing something, so I’ve twisted – so I’ve gone and then twisted… I felt uncomfortable. I was uncomfortable. There was discomfort” [50]. To her credit, Wilson attempted to return to work the day after the incident, as it was a Sunday and penalty rates applied. She commenced her shift at 8:00am, made it through the “safety scrum”, had made it to the second or third medication rounds, and then, as she went to unlock a drawer with a key at head height, she became stuck in position. Her evidence at Trial was “it happened again”; “out of nowhere”. She returned to the Nurse’s station to sit down. She could not recall whether she completed the remainder of that shift. Wilson called in sick Monday, had a further three (3) days scheduled off before returning to work the Friday with a lighter patient load. She persevered through a couple of shifts but found she was continuing to experience spasm, whether she stood or sat still. Squatting down at the Nurse’s station eased her pain. She again attempted to work the following Sunday (Easter Sunday). She experienced another spasm when picking up a folder from a desk. She lay in an empty Hospital bed. Some months passed and Wilson attempted to work again in July 2016, within her suitable duties program (being short shifts, three (3) times a week). Wilson did not perform any tasks on those shifts other than making patients cups of tea and continued to suffer spasms. The state of the Ward at the time of the incident On 12 March 2016, Wilson was rostered to work from 1:00pm to 9:30pm at the Robina Hospital’s Specialised Medical Unit (SMU), a 24-bed medical ward with a “mixed bag” of patients. The SMU was a busy ward, requiring heavy work. Most of the patients on the SMU were over 65/70 years of age, which included those transferred from nursing homes with medical problems. Often, those patients suffered from dementia or delirium. During the pre-start or “safety scrum” of Nurses at the beginning of the shift, Wilson was told that the patient who later injured her had “a couple of Code Blacks previously and had been quite aggressive to other nurses”. The patient had previously grabbed her own at-home care Nurse by the throat and kicked and scratched her. The staff skill mix for the shift on 12 March 2016 was, in the evidence of Wilson, “really bad” and included two new Graduate Nurses (in their second month), a pregnant Enrolled Nurse, a Clinical Nurse and one other Registered Nurse. Wilson was not allocated to the patient who later caused her injuries. A new graduate Nurse was assigned to the patient, who became overwhelmed. There were also three (3) to four (4) other patients who also suffered dementia in the Ward who had been wandering “non-stop” throughout the Ward. The patient who later caused Wilson’s injury had been being difficult, disruptive, attempting to break into other patient’s rooms, was acting out physically and refusing medication. Security Guards were called to assist in administering the patient’s anti-psychotic medication. In making Judgment as to the factual findings of the workplace incident, Justice Ryan declared: [283] I find that in 2016, the patient mix on the SMU included an increasing proportion of older patients with “behaviours” as a consequence of their dementia or other cognitive vulnerabilities, which manifested in confusion, disruption, wandering, verbal abuse, physical aggression and assault. [284] I find that the staff on the SMU were not trained to deal with those patients, as the defendant acknowledged in the 2016 OVRAT, beyond being told to prioritise their own safety via the “ICE” approach – isolate, contain and evacuate. [289] I find that “M” (the patient) did not settle upon the arrival of the two security officers on the ward. They had to drag her or march her back to her room. She was not subdued by their mere presence as she demonstrated by her resistance in the face of it; her conduct whilst on the bed; and the urgency around the need to administer medication to her so that she might calm down. [294] I find (indeed, the parties essentially agreed) that the plaintiff did not receive training in how to (safely or at all) restrain a patient – either from the point of view of her participating in restraint or being able to evaluate whether a restraint executed by security officers (or other relevant trained staff) was being safely executed. Nor was the plaintiff instructed not to participate in the restraint of a patient, but to leave that to security officers (other than, obviously in circumstances in which the plaintiff was entitled to defend herself). Justice Ryan found that the patient “M” who injured Wilson posed a foreseeable risk of injury to Wilson generally and in the course of being restrained. Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service tried to argue the risk posed by this patient to Wilson was insignificant. Justice Ryan found the risk was not insignificant. Justice Ryan found Robina Hospital negligent on the following grounds:- The Defendant was negligent in failing to instruct Nurse Wilson not to be involved in the physical restraint of a patient [5]; and Additionally, …the Defendant was negligent because of the failure of two security officers who attended the ward to call for a third to take part in the restraint, rather than the plaintiff. Had the security officers called for a third to take part in the restraint, then, for the same reasons as above, Nurse Wilson would not have been injured. The injuries and impact on employment The Plaintiff underwent significant treatment, including:- Treatment by Dr Cleaver (Spinal Orthopedic Surgeon); Cortisone injections (which gave her about nine (9) days of relief); Physiotherapy; Hydrotherapy; Sacroiliac belt; Pilates; Acupuncture; Yoga; TENS machine; Hot and cold gel packs; Treatment with a Pain Clinic; Right sided sacroiliac joint fusion (which she funded herself). Following fusion surgery, Wilson (after a five (5) day Hospital stay and an inability to weight bear for a few weeks) was free of spasms and pain for three (3) to four (4) weeks before sadly experiencing “out of nowhere” that the dragging sensation in her groin had returned, followed by spasm. “Things were back to how they had been”. Wilson describes experiencing deep aching in her right sacroiliac joint, a dragging sensation in her groin, numbness, spasms occurring five to twenty times per day with those symptoms relieved by crouching, curling and squatting. The pain is mostly in her pelvis and hip. The aching (in the right sacroiliac joint) and dragging sensation (in the groin) are constant. There is also numbness in the joint. The Court found she is now in a worse state than she was in 2016, because she has de-conditioned. Wilson now walks with a limp, has gained thirty kilograms and pain medications make her drowsy. Her mental health has deteriorated. At the time of the Trial, she was receiving a Disability Support Pension and Family Tax Benefit ($750.00 a week). Her rent, per week, was $550.00 a week. Future intentions Wilson’s intention was to work as a Clinical Nurse, in the SMU for as long as possible “til I drop, pretty much”. Pre-existing conditions It was of great debate throughout the Trial as to what impact, if any, Wilson’s earlier fusion surgery prior to the incident in 2015 for correction of a degenerative process had on her current state. It was not contested that Wilson had widespread degenerative pathology in her sacroiliac joint. However, Justice Ryan opined “That did not mean that she inevitably would have become symptomatic (even if she had not been injured at work in March 2016), but I find that there was a degree of probability that her degeneration would progress to the point at which she was symptomatic”. Despite her prior surgery and condition, Damages were assessed as follows: - General Damages - $25,150.00 Past Economic Loss - $473,548.16 with interest of $50,926.00 Past Superannuation Loss - $60,377.39 Future Economic Loss - $800,000.00 Future Superannuation - $95,040.00 Past Expenses - $78,556 Future medicals - $15,000 Future travel expenses - $2,000 Future pharmaceuticals - $12,000 Fox -v- Wood damages - $21,821 In determining Future Economic Loss, the Defendant argued the Nurse only had a further twenty (20) years residual earning capacity due to her pre-existing degenerative condition, and, that this was to be further discounted by 50% for contingencies, including the hypothetical event that the plaintiff in any event would have suffered a similar disabling back condition. Wilson, however, invited that the more usual reduction of 10% for contingencies only be made, and no further discounting was appropriate. Justice Ryan reached the award for Future Economic Loss by “starting at the scenario proposed by the plaintiff but discounting it (by 50%) for contingencies including, but not only, the contingency that she might not work a 40-hour week plus Sunday and weekend shifts from 2019 until she was 67; and the contingency that she might, in the future, suffer from pain symptoms because of pre-existing degeneration and/or the consequences of her prior surgery which might shorten her working life.” The Plaintiff was awarded Damages of $1,634,418.55. The full Judgment from the Queensland Supreme Court can be found here.
The Connolly Suthers Difference
At Connolly Suthers, we feel privileged to be entrusted with our client's legal affairs, helping them navigate what is often some of the most challenging times of their lives. Our diverse, talented team has considerable expertise in multiple aspects of law and channel this experience to make a substantial, positive difference in the lives of locals.
We believe that your lawyer should have a significant understanding of how Townsville operates and its underlying cultural systems to provide the most genuine, useful legal advice possible. That’s why we frequently employ experienced legal professionals locally from within North Queensland, possessing a proud history of employing law graduates from James Cook University. Not only does this allow us to give back to the local community, but it only boosts our ability to deliver the most relevant and beneficial legal advice possible.
Our genuine care for the wellbeing of our clients and attention to detail in every case is what sets us apart from other law firms in Queensland. From criminal law to personal injury law, family disputes, property settlements, child custody, and traffic offences, we'll be in your corner, every step of the legal process. If you’re looking for legal support in Townsville, we’re here to make a positive difference in as many lives as possible. Call Connolly Suthers on 07 4771 5664 to get help today.
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Learn MoreFrequently Asked Questions
What legal services do Connolly Suthers offer?
We operate across a range of legal matters including compensation, family, wills & estates, property, conveyancing, business, dispute resolution and criminal law; helping a variety of clients across Queensland to navigate the legal system.
It’s highly likely that you’ll need the services of a lawyer at least once in your lifetime. When you turn to Connolly Suthers for legal assistance, you can be confident that you’ll receive quality legal advice with a personal touch, regardless of which service you require. Our criminal lawyers, family lawyers, and compensation solicitors are here to help with the most common types of legal problems faced in these areas of concern.
Whether you're facing criminal offences, are dealing with a family law matter, looking to file compensation claims, have traffic offences, a domestic violence order, class actions, or just require an experienced team to assure a successful legal outcome, we can provide specialised advice for a wide range of concerns and legal issues.
Whatever type of legal assistance you need, we’re sure to be able to help. At Connolly Suthers, we have considerable experience and knowledge in all aspects of compensation law, family law, wills and estates, property law, criminal law, conveyancing, business services and dispute resolution.
We have Queensland Law Society Accredited Specialists in Property Law, Succession Law, Family law and Personal Injuries Litigation. Combining extensively trained and experienced legal practitioners with state-of-the-art communications and technology, Connolly Suthers delivers an unrivalled level of legal service in the Northern Queensland region. Get in touch with our team today - we're here to provide legal advice for a wide range of legal matters.
Do you offer free consultations?
Yes, at Connolly Suthers Lawyers Townsville, we offer free consultations in most areas.
Please note that while ‘family law’ and ‘employment law’ offer discounted fees for your initial appointment, they do not offer free consultation.
Do you offer No-Win, No-Fee?
Yes we offer no-win, no-fee services because we believe that nobody should be denied justice as a result of limited finances. We offer no-win, no-fee services in a range of matters including:
- Traffic accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Public liability accidents
- Medical negligence claims
- Life insurance claims
- Superannuation claims
- Certain commercial disputes
With Connolly Suthers Townsville Lawyers, you get the legal representation that you deserve without the worry of paying legal costs in the event that you lose your case. Our compassionate, friendly team understand the value of excellent service when facing a legal problem and a difficult time. Work with the solicitors that understand you and prioritise your needs – work with Connolly Suthers.
How much does representation with Connolly Suthers cost?
All Connolly Suthers clients receive the absolute highest level of quality legal representation and advice available in the region. Generally the cost of our legal services will vary based on the time required for our legal team to work on your case and the extent of the case as a whole, unless it is one of our fixed-fee services.
Regardless, we believe that nobody should be denied justice as a result of limited finances and that’s why we offer no-win, no-fee services in a range of matters including:
- Traffic accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Public liability accidents
- Medical negligence claims
- Life insurance claims
- Superannuation claims
- Certain commercial disputes
With Connolly Suthers Townsville Lawyers, you get the legal representation that you deserve without the worry of paying legal costs in the event that you lose your case. Work with the lawyers that understand you and prioritise your needs – Connolly Suthers.
How do you charge? Will I need to pay upfront? What are your prices like?
Most legal services are charged in accordance with a costs agreement which is provided to you at the commencement of the matter. Usually this must be signed and returned before any work is completed. This includes work done in most areas such as family law, personal injury, large commercial and leasing work, criminal law and estate administration. From your first phone call, your family lawyer, criminal lawyer, personal injury or estate solicitors can walk you through these fees work.
There are fixed price services available for basic conveyancing, wills and enduring powers of attorney. No nasty surprises - just a team who are committed to the best outcome. Please contact our office for more information about these services.
Do you offer payment plans?
Generally, no. However, you should feel free to discuss your financial situation with the solicitor involved with your case, at your initial appointment at Connolly Suthers. We understand that moving through the legal system can get expensive - from your first phone call, our compassionate team will openly discuss fees and work in your best interests, in a timely manner, to achieve a positive outcome.
Do you certify documents? Do you have JPs available?
We usually only certify documents for clients of Connolly Suthers or in the course of matters in which we are involved. If you are looking to find a JP you can search for one here.
Do you hold relatives' documents in safe custody? What can you hold in safe custody?
For client's of Connolly Suthers we offer the service of storing in our safe custody original Wills, Enduring Powers of Attorney, Certificates of Title, etc.
How are you involved with the Townsville Community?
The partners and staff of Connolly Suthers have long-standing ties throughout the local community. Over a large number of years we have supported various clubs and sporting teams in Townsville and in the Burdekin. We are regular supporters of Ronald McDonald House and the Vinnies foundation.
Find out more about our contributions to the local community here.
How do I contact Connolly Suthers?
You can call our Townsville QLD office on 07 4771 5664 during business hours.
Alternatively, submit an email enquiry to enquiries@cosu.com.au and the Connolly Suthers team will endeavour to respond to your enquiry within one business day.
Where are your other offices located?
Our Brisbane office is located at 240 Queen Street, Brisbane.
Our Cairns office is located at 14 Spence Street, Cairns.
Our Ayr office is located at 180 Queen Street, Ayr.
We visit Mount Isa as well as other regions throughout North Queensland by appointment.