Blaxland Mawson & Rose Solicitors in Cooma, New South Wales | Legal service

Blaxland Mawson & Rose Solicitors

Locality: Cooma, New South Wales

Phone: +61 2 6452 1266

Address: 39 Bombala Street 2630 Cooma, NSW, Australia

Website: http://bmrlawyers.com.au

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24.01.2022 Hello folks! This week we're looking at the life and times of Cooma solicitor Arthur E Body. He arrived in Cooma as a young solicitor and started practice here. He was articled to Fredrick Blaxland (one of our founders of course). In 1890, the Manaro Mercury began to advertise the services of Mr Arthur E Body after he went into practice on his own. Our old 'History of legal services in Cooma' document, which was written by John Agnew in 1984, stated that Mr Body practiced he...re for several years, before 'joining up to fight in the Boer War' and subsequently remaining in South Africa, having married a South African girl. This is only partly true! In reality, Arthur was struck off as a solicitor in 1896 for embezzling trust funds from an estate matter- the deceased being a Mr Poole, of Braidwood. The Law Institute made up the missing funds, in part, to the family; but Mr Body was not permitted to remain on the role. He was declared bankrupt as well, shortly before being struck off. What happened to Mr Body? Tune in tomorrow to find out!

21.01.2022 Is your small business affected by COVID-19? The NSW Government has a bundle of resources for you in the Business Connect program. Click the link below to find out more. Give us a call on (02) 6452 1266 if you have any legal questions relating to the pandemic.

20.01.2022 Blaxland Mawson and Rose are pleased to advise that we now have two solicitors appointed to the NSW Legal Aid- Family Law panel; and the ACT Legal Aid- Family Law panel. Both Sarah Perkins and Samantha Curry are able to discuss your family law matters with you, guiding you through all aspects of a family separation including concerning areas such as contact with your children and who your children should live with. Please call our office on 02 6452 1266 to discuss whether you may be eligible for Legal Aid, and to make an appointment with either Sarah or Samantha.

18.01.2022 Did you know that we can witness legal documents (including statutory declarations) by video? This ability was introduced by the NSW Government in April, and they are taking steps to extend the provisions until the end of 2021. If you would rather stay home during the pandemic but need someone to witness a document, give us a call on (02) 6452 1266.

15.01.2022 Video conferencing technology like Skype, WhatsApp, FaceTime and Zoom can now be used in the witnessing of important legal documents like wills, powers... of attorney and statutory declarations under a new regulation made under section 17 of the Electronic Transactions Act. More info at https://bit.ly/3btHDgh #COVID19Aus #COVID19Response #auslaw #NSWJustice

10.01.2022 40 down 137 to go.

08.01.2022 Hi everyone! Today is the first installment our 'History of Legal Services in Cooma' series, published in order to commemorate Blaxland Mawson & Rose's 150th anniversary of continuous legal practice in the town. Fascinating, right?... Well yes, actually! Did you know- Cooma's first ever solicitor was Mr Alphonse Bede Girard? He arrived in Cooma in April 1863. He had been admitted as a solicitor in Sydney in December 1862, was born there in 1837 and raised in Glebe. He was the... son of a convict of French decent, and an Australian woman (who also had convict ancestry). The Manaro Mecury recorded his arrival In Cooma on the 1st May 1863, describing him as 'a gentleman worthy of having every confidence placed in him'. The Queanbeyan Age recorded at the time that he was the first solicitor to set up in Cooma, with those in need of legal services previously having had to travel to Queanbeyan at great inconvenience. The first advertisement for Mr Girard states he can be consulted at the Lord Raglan Hotel (now the Raglan Gallery) on Lambie St, Cooma. By 1866, he had married and had one child; but in August of that year, he left Cooma to take up practice in Grafton. He had relatives, including his mother, living there by this time. His departure was said to be 'much felt in this [Cooma] district by the inhabitants at large'. He had been active in the establishment of the Cooma Literary Institute, and had 'made a donation of a large and select number of books to the library, together with devoting much of his valuable time and attention in promoting its well-being'. In relation to his skills as a lawyer, the newspaper report recommending him to the Grafton community states 'the weak will find him a good friend; the tyrant, an antagonist that will not succumb until justice is satisfied'. Tune in tomorrow to find out what happened next to Mr Girard- it's pretty unexpected!

08.01.2022 THERAPY DOGS REPAWT FOR DUTY AT GOSFORD COURT Therapy dogs around the state will be wagging their tails at news they’ll be comforting victims of crime, witnesse...s and other vulnerable people at 10 courts across NSW within the year. Attorney General Mark Speakman today made the Canine Court Companion service announcement at Gosford Court House, one of five regional locations soon to benefit from the service. I spent many years in the busy and high-stress court environment and I have no doubt that having a few furry friends around will lift the mood of victims, witnesses, lawyers, police and court staff, Mr Speakman said. The rollout of the Canine Court Companion service follows a successful pilot program at Manly Courthouse. The Manly program received unanimous support, with anxious victims and witnesses feeling more relaxed and ready to give evidence after patting the helpful hounds, Mr Speakman said. The government has previously invested $500,000 in Gosford Court to install high definition Audio Visual Link facilities in all four courtroom, as well as in legal professionals’ rooms allowing vulnerable witnesses to provide evidence remotely. The NSW Government is committed to improving the experiences court users have during some of the most stressful times of their lives, said Mr Speakman.

06.01.2022 So, what did Mr Girard do next? He had had a successful legal practice in Cooma and was well-loved and respected, if we accept reports of the time. He then moved to Grafton to be closer to family. By April 1867 however things were going downhill for Cooma's first lawyer. A newspaper article appeared in the Maitland Mercury on the 27th of April 1867, recording a recent court case in which a Mr Alphonse Bede Girard had been prosecuted for 'drunkenness'. Mr Girard contested the... case but lost; constable Casey, giving evidence against him, stated: 'on the evening of the 9th instant constable Berry came to my residence and told me he required me to assist him to take the defendant to the lockup, as he was very drunk, lying in the mud- though he did not wish to drag him for fear of hurting him'. The Magistrate noted Mr Girard had appeared 'not sober' when conducting a case in his court recently. At the conclusion of the case, the article records the following result: 'The Bench said they regretted to find the case fully proven against the defendant, and it was painful for them, in the position occupied by the defendant as an attorney of the Supreme Court, that they must fine him the highest penalty of 20 shillings...His worship, Mr M'Dougall, also said that he would, as an officer of that court, deem it his duty to bring the conduct of the defendant before the Judges of the Supreme Court, if he ever appeared in the Police Court in such a state as he had done on previous occasions.' Sadly, Mr Girard died in the Singleton Benevolent Asylum on the 1st of June 1868. His cause of death is recorded as 'intemperate habits'. His wife, Annie Girard (nee Gallott), remarried in the same year- about 5 months after the passing of her first husband. Stay tuned- next week we'll be posting about some of the lawyers (and characters) who followed Mr Girard into legal practice in Cooma!

06.01.2022 Do you know of anyone who might be perfect for this role with one of our fantastic clients? Working in a rural area for a family owned business is a rewarding career option. If this sounds like you or someone you know, please get in touch with GLW.

05.01.2022 Joanne, Hollie & Belinda with be smashing out 3128 pushups over the next 21 days. Go to link below to donate to this great cause.

05.01.2022 When we left Arthur on Tuesday he was a disgraced former lawyer and a bankrupt. He did go to South Africa however and served with distinction in the Boer War. Although we have not been able to find his war record as yet, we know that by 1910, after he had traveled to South Africa, he was back in Sydney and was readmitted a solicitor in May 1910. Fredrick Blaxland is listed as one of those who provided Mr Body with a character reference in support of his readmission, as did '...many residents of the Cooma district.' The court noted: ‘An affidavit, from the applicant in February last showed that he had had two years' active service in South Africa till the end of the war, and had received certificates for excellent character. At the cessation of hostilities, he obtained a position in Capetown, where he was continually in charge of moneys and received a letter of good character when he left this employ.' Mr Body died suddenly of a heart attack at his sister's residence in Double Bay two years later in 1912, at the age of 54. There is no record of his being married, or having had children (in Australia in any event).