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Matthew Ward – Wollongong criminal lawyer a finalist for regional lawyer of the year
Matthew Ward, a partner at Morrisons, has been listed as a finalist for the Regional/Suburban Lawyer of the Year in the Australian Law Awards for a second time.
How did you start down this career path?
I was never one of those kids that knew what I wanted to do when I was older, let alone think that I would become a criminal lawyer. I studied law at the University of Wollongong and did a number of placements in different criminal law organisations. I was immediately drawn to the advocacy and theatre of the courtroom and knew that it was what I wanted to do.
I was then lucky enough to get a job at Morrisons. I have never looked back.
What inspires you in your role/industry? Why?
I am often inspired by the people we act for and the difference I see other criminal lawyers and barristers make in our industry. This is both for individual clients as well as trying to change the law for the benefit of others.
It is inspiring to hear some of the stories of clients, their families and what they have had to go through in regional communities. Whilst they are sometimes charged with serious criminal offences, what they have gone through in their lives can be an inspiring part of their case. It also acts as a reminder of the privilege and responsibility we have when advocating on behalf of another person.
It is also inspiring to get to work with exceptional colleagues and barristers in our industry. The level of dedication, attention to detail and preparation, as well as their advocacy in the courtroom is always something I look up to.
What's your approach to customer service that separates you from the rest?
My approach to customer service is based on information and dedication. I often find that issues arise in the practice of criminal law if clients are not realistically informed of court processes, procedures and potential outcomes. A level of transparency is required to help people through a very difficult time in their lives and to have a complete understanding of what is happening in their case.
Being an Accredited Specialist in Criminal Law also helps with this, as the client can be provided with a level of expertise and detail.
How do you innovate and stay ahead of industry trends?
In my view, it is important for any business to continue to innovate and re-invest in how it does things. At Morrisons, we continue to review our systems, processes, strategy and other aspects of our business to ensure we are providing the best possible service to our clients. A continued level of re-investment is required to adopt technology and stay ahead of the trends in the industry in which we operate.
As an individual, I also believe every criminal lawyer has to reflect on their own practice and performance, to continue to innovate. This allows us to improve our preparation, advocacy and service to clients across regional NSW.
What is the toughest challenge you've faced in your role? How did you overcome it?
There are always challenges in being a criminal and traffic lawyer. These can vary each day, month and year. I would say one of the toughest challenges is continually managing time to be able to represent people to a high standard. In my view, a certain level of preparation is required to properly represent someone charged with a criminal or traffic offence. The challenge is often finding the time to do this preparation for many clients and ensuring they receive the highest quality of representation.
Overcoming it requires an excellent team, which I am lucky to have at Morrisons, as well as a level of organisation and processes that give the best opportunity to do what needs to be done. I could not do what I do without the help from everyone at Morrisons, who make it easier to continually overcome this challenge.
What are some of your goals for the next 5 years?
There are lots of goals for the next 5 years, even the next 12 months. Some of them are:
- Continuing to improve and expand Morrisons to service the communities of Regional NSW,
- To bring a Drug Court to the Illawarra and South Coast, and
- To try and change areas of the criminal law that I believe need to be reformed.
