A lawyer who came to Australia as a refugee has joined one of the Sunshine Coast’s most high-profile legal practices.
Senior lawyer and compensation law expert Greg Spinda started with Travis Schultz and Partners’ Sunshine Coast team earlier this month, having worked as a personal injuries lawyer since 2005.
Mr Spinda said his desire to help people who found themselves in challenging circumstances had started at a young age.
“I was six years old when my family and I came to Australia as refugees to escape the communist regime in Hungary. It was very challenging, but we were welcomed with open arms,” he said.
“I come from a very tight-knit family and what was valued most – and what my grandparents constantly taught me – was that if you have the opportunity, you should always help build up others and your community.
“Since I began in my career, I knew that supporting clients and making a real difference to the lives of everyday people was an important priority for me.
“What I enjoy most is really getting to know my clients – truly listening to them and understanding how they have been impacted.
“I’m not a doctor and I can’t heal wounds, but in my own way, as a lawyer, I will do what I can to ensure that when people are wronged, they get rehabilitation funded and compensation so that at least the financial stresses of suffering an injury are not preventing their recovery.”
In addition to his work as a personal injuries lawyer, Mr Spinda has dedicated his time to various committees including the Australian Lawyers Alliance Queensland, of which he has been a member since 2016, undertaking roles including president and secretary.
Mr Spinda was a key representative involved in the lengthy workers’ compensation five-yearly review in 2018, leading to significant legislative changes providing benefits to injured workers.
He was also involved in the creation of legislation to stamp out claims farming in Queensland.
Mr Spinda has received various accolades throughout his career, including being named a finalist in the 2022 Queensland Law Society Solicitor of the Year awards and being consistently named in Doyles Guide – a ranking of leading law firms and lawyers – in various compensation law categories since 2018.
He holds a Master of Laws (Health Law) degree, during which he particularly focused on issues surrounding the National Disability Insurance Scheme and the National Injury Insurance Scheme Queensland.
“I’m excited to join the growing Travis Schultz and Partners family and to work for an award-winning firm, with values that align to my own,” Mr Spinda said.
“I’ve had extraordinary opportunities and I am grateful to have a career that allows me to both draw on my personal experiences and to give back to those in the community who need it most.”
Travis Schultz and Partners CEO Kelly Phelps said she was delighted to have Mr Spinda join the expanding team.
“Greg is a welcome addition to our team with his wealth of experience, passion for working closely with the community and his commitment to contributing to the legal profession as a whole,” she said.
“He is incredibly generous with his time in supporting others and we are fortunate to have someone of Greg’s calibre join us.”
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