McNamara & Associates is one of the leading Ipswich law firms, and for over 70 years has had a strong commitment to the Ipswich and Locker region. As part of their commitment, each year the firm offers a $4000 USQ Law scholarship to a law student who resides in the region. In this excerpt from Managing Partner Peter Wilkinson’s speech, Peter talks about the firm’s commitment to both the Scholarship and the USQ Green Fund.

“I grew up in Ipswich, went to school here but because of the limited options available at the time I had to go to University in Brisbane.

When USQ first announced that it was going to commence a bachelor of laws degree at Springfield the other Partners and I at McNamara’s identified the potential synergies that could occur between our firm and USQ.

We have an office just across the way at Orion shopping centre, two offices in central Ipswich and one in Gatton at the foothills of Toowoomba.

We are almost spread from USQ at Toowoomba to USQ at Springfield.

We have been proud of our association with USQ and have provided bursaries, subject prizes and a “green fund” since joining forces with USQ.

To explain the green fund – we provide $5 from each account that we send to our client’s, at our own expense, to USQ to help fund Green projects.

We are a firm that acts for the smaller guy, the mums and dads and small businesses and see ourselves as being part of the local community.

We see USQ as part of that community.

Our role is a business leader.

We see USQ’s role as an educator but more than just to teach but also as a think tank for the future generations and communities that will come after us.

We provide financial support to USQ because as a business leader we see our role is to support the organizations such as USQ to do these things.

We see our environment and the continuing effects on it globally as a major concern.

As a regional law firm we are not in a position to do too much about that but we see our input financially into sponsoring events like the USQ sustainability forum from earlier in the year as a way to put back into the community for the future.

I would like to congratulate Jennifer Malcolm and the other award winners on receiving their scholarships.

No doubt significant time, energy and effort has been put in to achieve the results you have .

During your career however, whilst you are busy doing what busy professionals do, take time to think about what the future may hold, what you can do to promote your community locally and globally and how you can make a difference.”

To learn more about McNamara & Associates USQ commitment, contact Peter Wilkinson