Geary awarded Salvation Army's 'highest honour'
Geary awarded Salvation Army's 'highest honour'
16 October 2017
Luke Geary was presented with the Order for Distinguished Auxiliary Service by Commissioner Brian Peddle yesterday. Photo: Carolyn Hide, Cazeil Creative Photography.
Salvos Legal founder and managing partner Luke Geary has been awarded The Salvation Army’s highest international award for a non-soldier or officer.
Mr Geary, an adherent, was presented with the Order for Distinguished Auxiliary Service by Chief of the Staff Commissioner Brian Peddle during the Sunday morning meeting at his home corps, Auburn in Sydney, yesterday.
The award was made “In recognition of and appreciation for bringing into reality General William Booth’s vision of the ‘poor man’s lawyer’ with the creation of Salvos Legal and Salvos Legal Humanitarian”.
A lawyer, Mr Geary established Salvos Legal and Salvos Humanitarian in 2010, after reading about General Booth’s vision for a poor man’s lawyer legal service in the founder’s book, In Darkest England and the Way Out, published in 1890.
As a young lawyer, Mr Geary first provided free legal advice through Auburn Corps on an ad hoc basis in 2003, before establishing Courtyard Legal as a once a week free service. The name changed to Salvos Legal and Salvos Humanitarian in 2010, when The Salvation Army Australia Eastern Territory decided to expand it to a territory-wide service.
Salvos Legal provides a fee for service to private companies and clients, and government agencies, with income funding free advice and representation through Salvos Humanitarian for people who cannot afford to pay.
The two entities currently operate in NSW, Victoria and Queensland, employing 40 full-time staff and 250 volunteers. Salvos Humanitarian has handled 20,000 cases since inception. Salvos Legal was named Australian Law Firm of the Year in 2014 and has received numerous other awards since.
Mr Geary will vacate his position this month to return to private practise in Brisbane, but remain with Salvos Legal as a consultant and voluntary director.
Introducing presentation of the award, Australia Eastern Territory Chief Secretary Lieut-Colonel Kelvin Pethybridge said creation of Salvos Legal equalled some of the most significant events in Salvation Army history.
Presenting the award, Commissioner Peddle said Luke Geary’s model had inspired similar legal services within The Salvation Army around the world.
In response, a surprised Luke Geary acknowledged “the hundreds” of people and their partners who had played a role in the work of Salvos Legal.
Comments
Well deserved. What a practical man of God is Luke Geary - done so much for the disadvantaged. Credit must also go to Auburn corps and it's leaders who nurtured this venture in it's early stages.
A richly deserved award Luke. Congratulations and enjoy the next phase of your life knowing what a great legacy you have created. You have changed for the better the lives of so many people.