Committee Members
| Cliff Kroesen - President Cliff Kroesen is the director of Kroesen & Co. Lawyers and a Legal Officer in the Royal Australian Air Force Reserves. He has a keen interest in the future of the legal profession. Cliff studied on the Gold Coast at Griffith and Bond Universities and enjoys being a part of the Gold Coast Legal Community. Outside of work Cliff has had significant involvement with Southport Surf Lifesaving Club where he has been a surf rowing coach for many years. |
 | Erin Mitchell - Vice President Erin Mitchell is a Director and senior criminal lawyer at Potts Lawyers, working exclusively in criminal defence and domestic violence law. She has experience appearing in the Magistrates, District and Supreme Courts across Queensland. Erin enjoys assisting clients through the criminal justice system, ensuring they understand their options and are supported throughout the process – whether they are facing a minor traffic offence or a serious charge that is likely to change their lives forever. She has previously enjoyed volunteering at her local community legal centre and since 2016 has been a committee member of the Gold Coast District Law Association. Erin has assisted with mentoring junior members of the profession through the GLAD program as well as assisting to organise an array of GCDLA events – as she feels passionately about continuing the collegiality of the Gold Coast legal profession. |
| Guy Neilson - Treasurer Guy Neilson is a Solicitor at Evans Brandon Family Lawyers. Guy is an Accredited Specialist in Family Law and was named as a Family Law Rising Star in the Doyles Guide for 2021 and 2022. In addition to being a proud member of the Evans Brandon team, Guy is currently the Treasurer of the Gold Coast District Law Association and regularly volunteers at My Community Legal. |
 | Daniel Samuel - Secretary Daniel started Paddingtons Legal Group in 2019 after working with firms in Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Daniel’s areas of practice are commercial transactions, Commercial Litigation as well as Family Law. Daniel’s experience also has been in estate planning and restructuring, ADR, Property Law and personal property transactions. Daniel has acted for a diverse range of clients in various jurisdictions including: Australia (Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and ACT) Singapore, Malaysia, China, Germany, New Zealand, the United States, and the United Kingdom. |
| Kathy Atkins Kathy was admitted to practice in 1985 and commenced practising on the Gold Coast in 1987, first in commercial and property law and then in family law. She is an accredited family law specialist and currently serves as the Chair of the QLS Family Law Committee. Kathy has served as a committee member of the QLS Family Law Committee since 1999 and as a committee member of the GCDLA since 1995. She consulted to Jones Mitchell Lawyers for over 20 years. Kathy currently holds the position of Associate Dean (External Engagement and International) in the Faculty of Law at Bond University. She teaches family law at Bond University and co-ordinates the Family Law Legal Practice Clinic. Kathy is a member of the GCDLA’s “Gold Coast Lawyers Achieving Development” mentoring program sub-committee and values the opportunity to support young lawyers in their legal career journey. |
| Ailsa Day Ailsa Day is a Partner at Ramsden Lawyers and Head of the Family Law Department on the Gold Coast and in Brisbane. Since being admitted, Ailsa has worked exclusively in Family Law and dedicates her practice to assisting clients through their Family Law journey. Ailsa has significant experience in representing clients in a range of financial and parenting matters, both in Court and through alternative dispute resolution methods, and takes a calm, assertive and collaborative approach to assisting her clients. |
| Damira Hidic Damira Hidic is a Principal Lawyer and Practice Leader on the Gold Coast. She has practiced as a lawyer specialising in family law since 2003. She began her career in 1998 as an Articled Clark in one of the prominent multidiscipline firms on the Gold Coast gaining experience in Migration Law, Wills & Estates, Property Law and Family Law. Damira is an Accredited Family Law Specialist, a Nationally Accredited Mediator, a Collaboratively Trained Lawyer and Damira was recognised for her work in family law and listed as a Recommended Lawyer, and in the category Leading Family & Divorce Lawyers Guide – Gold Coast in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. |
| Samuel Layani Samuel Layani studied at Bond University and was admitted to the legal profession in December 2020. Samuel joined the OMB Solicitors team in April 2019 and has since worked predominantly in the Insurance and Litigation team, and is now an Associate. He works across a range of insurance related matters, acting for both plaintiffs, defendants, both insured and uninsured. Samuel acts for a variety of clients, having made appearances in both Federal and State courts in Insurance and Commercial Litigation matters. |
| Anna Morgan Anna Morgan is Direct and Principal Solicitor at Take Control Legal. She is passionate about helping injured people seek justice and access and damages. Anna has held various positions in the GCDLA including President (3 years), Treasurer (2 years) and Committee member. During Anna’s tenure as President, she focused on supporting member’s efforts to form relationships and networks through social events, supporting mental wellbeing initiatives for the benefit of the profession and lobbying for a Supreme Court presence on the Gold Coast. Anna also authored and lectures a post-graduate subject at Bond University called Expert Witness & Dispute Resolution. Anna sits on organising committees for various QLS conferences including the QLS Symposium , Gold Coast Symposium and QLS Personal Injury Conference. Before launching Take Control Legal, Anna launched Evolve Legal brand for a large Gold Coast law firm, spent more than eight years at at Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, and 12 years at Minter Ellison Gold Coast. |
| Joelene Nel Joelene practises as a family lawyer and a mediator on the Gold Coast, Queensland and is an Associate Director of McLaughlins Lawyers. Since 2015 Joelene has been an active committee member on the Gold Coast District Law Association, initially holding the position of Treasurer from 2015 -201. Joelene co-founded the GLAD mentoring program in 2016 and which she co-ordinates with fellow committee members. Joelene also contributes to the legal profession by volunteering at My Community Legal and the Women’s Legal Service Queensland . Joelene believes that your life in law is a marathon, not a sprint and that by working together we are better able to ensure we enjoy a meaningful career in law. Joelene’s weakness is chocolate! |
| Ben O'Brien Ben is a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland and the Federal and High Courts of Australia. Ben graduated from Bond University and was admitted to practice in 2015; he is experienced in all areas of commercial disputes including contracts, debt recovery, property and land, consumer law and building and construction. Ben has a particular passion for complex and technical disputes and for resolving such disputes in an efficient and cost-effective manner for the benefit of his clients. Outside of the law, you can find Ben at the beach. Ben is looking forward to supporting the Gold Coast legal community via the GCDLA and hopes to assist the profession by providing opportunities for growth, education and networking. |
