MacDonnells Law Cairns Partners (L-R): Luckbir Singh, Melinda Foley, Russell Beer, Joanne Parisi
While Eleanor Scott’s rise through the ranks in a relatively short time since she joined MacDonnells Law is indicative of her hard work and commitment to the firm, she refuses to take all the credit. Eleanor, who was named Australia’s leading Government Partner at the Lawyers Weekly inaugural Partner of the Year Awards in Sydney in July, was made a partner at MacDonnells Law, one of Queensland’s largest and longest-established independent law firms, in 2015 after joining the firm as a graduate in 2007. “I am so proud and humbled to be recognised in such a manner by my peers, and am grateful to MacDonnells Law for having the confidence in me to appoint me as partner and government practice group leader,” Ms Scott said. “No one wins an award on their own, and this award is testament to the dedication, skill and commitment of my team and colleagues at MacDonnells Law.” Ms Scott, who lived in Papua New Guinea before moving to Cairns, studied law externally in PNG before finishing at James Cook University (JCU) in Cairns and starting at MacDonnells Law after she graduated. “MacDonnells has always been supportive of graduates who come from JCU, and I’m another product of the firm’s confidence in JCU graduates.”
Ms Scott practices in the areas of property and commercial law acting predominately for government clients. She was also part of a team of senior staff and management from the firm’s three offices (Cairns, Brisbane and Townsville) who developed a three-year strategic plan to further modernise one of the city’s most-established firms. Their strategic plan focuses on innovation, growth, customer service and staff development and progression, and was developed in response to the changing face of the legal services industry, how customers engage with the sector and the advent of digital disruption.
“It gives people a snapshot to see if they are eligible to make a claim,” Ms Scott said. “It’s an example of how we have made access to legal services easier and more relevant to the changing times.”
“We’re embracing technology to respond to the way people access legal services,” Ms Scott said. “Our website has new functions that are very user-friendly to help our clients and improve our customer service.”
“We have always looked after and developed our people, and this is a real focus area for us so our lawyers and staff have the tools, ability, support and mentoring in a much more structured way to progress their careers.”
For example, in order to respond to the growing demand for instant online legal advice the firm has developed and implemented highly-responsive and user-friendly case assessment tools that provide consumers with legally sound advice relevant to their individual situations in areas like personal injury compensation and will disputes. The tools help people assess if they are entitled to make a claim before they engage the services of a lawyer.
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The firm’s growth is tightly linked to the development of its staff. “While we do cover every area of law, we have specialists in niche areas as well,” Ms Scott said. “Our lawyers are experts in what they do, and that has allowed us to tap into new markets including areas like intellectual property, renewable energy and innovative business development.
While MacDonnells Law supports and encourages it staff, it also prioritises the needs of its clients. “MacDonnells strives to be a firm that provides the best possible service for all our clients,” said Ms Scott. Eleanor Scott MacDonnells Law Ph: 1800 632 930