Uncharted Territory: TGB Lawyers’ first year in Darwin
Forget humidity, crocodiles and the nation’s best newspaper front pages. For TGB partner Victoria Bell there’s one thing about Darwin that has really made an impact on her.
“Community spirit,” Victoria says. “Darwin people are very community-minded – they have each other’s backs and that’s inspiring.
“We feel a responsibility to reflect that in the work we do and how we help people.”
It has now been a little over a year since Victoria stopped splitting her time between Adelaide and Darwin and moved to the Top End full-time.
Since then she has overseen significant expansion – including a move to a larger, modern office at 1/21 Cavenagh St in the CBD.
In its short time the Darwin team – including Associate Luke Officer (Criminal & Disciplinary), Senior Associate Nick Mules (Family Law) and personal assistant Serena Adams – has helped clients everywhere across the Territory and interstate, with a wide range of legal problems.
Victoria says the breadth of work and number of new faces she has got to know has been inspiring.
“That’s been the most rewarding thing about this move,” she says.
“Getting out there, getting to know the Darwin community and building strong relationships with people. It’s important they trust their lawyer and know we will deliver for them with top-level advice.
She’s relished the challenge of setting up a new office, “effectively being a new firm in town”, and puts its success down to an enormous group effort.
“The whole firm has got behind this to get it off the ground – in particular Anne Christophers, a long-serving TGB employee who knows the firm inside-out,” she says.
“She put her life on hold for nearly four months to move up to Darwin with me. Her insight and knowledge in setting up the office and putting the right systems in place meant that from day one we could deliver great service to clients and I could concentrate on helping solve their legal problems.”
Tindall Gask Bentley managing partner Morry Bailes said the firm is continually struck by the opportunities in the NT and the welcoming nature of the community.
“The Territory is an outstanding city to do business, on the cusp of incredible growth, and that is thanks in no small part to its very talented population and their can-do attitude,” Morry says.
“We are determined to put down strong foundations in this city and thank all of our clients for placing their trust in us. They can be assured that we will work hard to repay it.”
Having enjoyed strong support from the community, as well organisations including the Northern Territory Police Association and AIR Darwin, TGB Darwin is primed for an exciting future.
“It’s been a whirlwind year, but at the heart of everything we do is the client,” Victoria says.
“At the end of the day we are here to provide solutions to all of life’s problems and help people move on with their lives as quickly as possible.”