Johnston Withers celebrates three quarters of a century in law
The law firm, which operates in Murray Bridge and around South Australia, is 75 years old this month.
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In May 2021, Adelaide’s own Johnston Withers Lawyers has celebrated 75 years of helping South Australians access legal advice and justice.
To celebrate, Johnston Withers Lawyers hosted a 75th anniversary party at the Lion Hotel on May 14, where past and present employees – along with several prominent special guests from law, politics, and the union movement – came together to toast the past, present and future of one of the most important names in South Australian social and legal history.
Founded in 1946 by Elliot Johnston AO QC, Johnston Withers Lawyers has shown unwavering commitment since inception to providing top quality legal advice or assistance to the Australian community.
The firm is proud to have worked on numerous significant cases in the areas of workers’ rights, Aboriginal rights, human rights and access to justice.
Many of the social causes and struggles in which Johnston Withers Lawyers has acted over the past 75 years have helped shape the legal history and social fabric of South Australia.
Landmark cases won by the JWL team include Gnatenko v GMH, Google Inc v Duffy, Commercial Bank of Australia v Amadio and De Rose v State of South Australia.
The firm is also currently acting for the Ambulance Employees Association in its dispute with the State Government.
Managing director Andrew Mitchard said the firm’s core value of striving to ensure that everyone – regardless of their economic situation, race or gender – has access to justice remained as important today as when the firm began 75 years ago.
Many of the state and country’s most distinguished legal practitioners have worked with the firm over the past few decades, including Chris Kourakis QC, the current Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of South Australia; Elizabeth Johnston, the first Commissioner for Equal Opportunities in South Australia; the late Brian Withers AM, a former judge and master of the Supreme Court; and Robyn Layton AO QC, a former judge in the Supreme Court.
In recent years, Johnston Withers Lawyers has expanded its work to include commercial law and conveyancing, as well as family law, wills and estates, and personal injury.
“This has given the firm a much broader and stronger foundation to be able to build our presence and durability as a legal firm for years into the future,” Mr Mitchard said.
JWL has also expanded its presence in regional South Australia, where it is very active in communities including Murray Bridge, assisting in a broad range of legal areas.
“We have enjoyed celebrating this milestone with a nod to our great past and our talented team look froward to continuing to represent Australians in need with passion and vigor,” Mr Mitchard concluded.
