Gold Coast District Law Association Inc.

13/10/2026

Thank you to Senior Judicial Registrar Abbi Golightly for presenting at our third FCFCOA CPD Breakfast at Southport Golf Club on Friday.

SJR Golightly addressed the treatment of prepaid legal fees and the making of interim orders for expert and mediation fees at first instance following Shinohara, with a particular focus on section 114UB(1). The session offered practical insight into how these applications are being approached in the Court and what practitioners should be mindful of when preparing them.

It was a morning of great discussion, and we all walked away having learnt a great deal. Thank you to everyone who joined us, and we look forward to seeing you at the next session in the series.

28/09/2026

We are delighted to share that the GCDLA has been featured in Proctor!

The article introduces our new committee and offers a preview of the program we have planned for our members. We encourage you to take a look.

October promises to be a full and exciting month, with three events on the calendar:

FCFCOA CPD Series No. 3
Friday 9 October, 7am at Southport Golf Club
Senior Judicial Registrar Abbi Golightly will present on the treatment of pre-paid legal fees and interim orders for expert and mediation fees following Shinohara.

Inaugural Topgolf Event: Teeing Up Connections
Thursday 22 October at Topgolf Gold Coast, Oxenford
An afternoon of networking, entertainment and friendly competition. Tickets will be released shortly.

Meet the Judiciary Breakfast
Friday 30 October, 7am for 7.15am at Lagoon Gallery, JW Marriott Resort & Spa, Surfers Paradise
A valuable opportunity to connect with members of the judiciary in a relaxed setting.

We look forward to seeing you at what will be a wonderful month for our legal community.

The new executive and committee members were elected on 11 September.

28/09/2026

What a wonderful way to celebrate another year of the Gold Coast District Law Association.

Our Annual General Meeting was a fantastic day of connection, laughter and reflection on everything our legal community has achieved together this year. Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make it such a special occasion.

A heartfelt thank you to our guest speaker, Professor David Heilpern, for sharing his insight and wisdom with our members. It was a privilege to hear from you.

To our committee, thank you for your dedication, time and energy throughout the year. The work you do behind the scenes is what allows the GCDLA to continue supporting and connecting practitioners across the Gold Coast.

We are also incredibly grateful to the sponsors who generously donated prizes for our raffle, with proceeds supporting My Community Legal:

Queensland Law Society
The Endo Shop
Take Control Legal
Justfund
Happy Lawyer (Clarissa Rayward)
French Quarter Chambers
McLaughlins Lawyers

Your generosity made the day even more memorable and supports a cause that matters deeply to our community.

Finally, thank you to our members. You are the heart of the GCDLA, and none of this would be possible without you. We look forward to another fantastic year together.

14/09/2026

Only a few days left to register for the GCDLA x FAAA Gold Coast Networking Event.

Join the Gold Coast District Law Association and the FAAA Gold Coast Chapter for an evening of drinks, nibbles and quality connections, bringing together professionals from the legal and financial advice sectors in a relaxed setting. Whether you're looking to strengthen existing relationships or make new ones within the local advice and legal community, this is the event to do it at.

Date: This Thursday, 17 September.
Time: 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Location: Emerald Lakes Golf Club, corner of Nerang Broadbeach Road and Alabaster Drive, Carrara QLD 4211
Cost: $50 (members and non-members)

Places are limited, so register now: https://faaa.au/event/faaa-gold-coast-chapter-networking-event/

The FAAA Gold Coast Chapter Committee is delighted to announce a new date for their Networking Event, now taking place on Thursday 17 September at Emerald Lakes Golf Club.

Following the postponement of the original event, we’re excited to once again bring together Gold Coast financial advisers and lawyers for an afternoon of drinks, nibbles and quality connections.

If you registered for the original event scheduled for 14 May and did not cancel your registration, your registration has automatically been transferred to the new date and no further action is required. If you are no longer able to attend on the new date, please email [email protected]

This exclusive networking event is designed to connect professionals from the financial advice and legal sectors in a relaxed and welcoming environment. It’s a fantastic opportunity to expand your professional network, exchange referrals and explore collaboration opportunities with like-minded professionals from complementary industries. Register via: https://faaa.au/event/faaa-gold-coast-chapter-networking-event/

30/08/2026

The GCDLA's Annual General Meeting is coming up on 11 September 2026, and we're excited to welcome our members.

Speaker Announcement

We are delighted to announce that Professor David Heilpern will join us as our AGM guest speaker this year. David is the Dean of Law and Chair of Discipline in the Faculty of Business, Law and Arts at Southern Cross University, bringing decades of experience both on the bench and in practice.

He will speak on Sovereign Citizens and the Law, along with reflections on vicarious trauma in legal practice, drawing on insights and anecdotes from his career as a magistrate and practitioner.

This is a valuable opportunity to hear from one of the profession's most experienced and engaging voices.

Tickets

Members: $115pp
Non-members: $125pp
Table of 8: $895
Ticket price includes a two-course lunch and drinks.

Member discount code: 2026GCLDAAGM

Venue

Horizons Room, Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, 71 Seaworld Drive, Main Beach QLD 4217
12:30pm to 4:00pm

We look forward to seeing you there.

Register via the link below: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1997208624760?aff=oddtdtcreator