)
AUSTRALIA'S funniest young lawyers have once again gone head to head at the annual Golden Gavel competition for 2016, with Brisbane Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) lawyer Thomas Lynch (pictured left) representing Queensland on the national stage.
Lynch got the last laugh in the Queensland competition with the topic 'A claim against Fireman Sam and other outrageous television,' winning his spot to compete in the national competition which was held in Hobart last Friday.
While Lynch missed out on the top spot nationally, he says the Golden Gavel experience itself was second to none, particularly when it came to putting a smile on the traditionally hard-faced legal industry.
"Often with functions where you invite a broad cross section of lawyers, they tend to get very caught up in just networking and talking about where they work so it's nice to be in an environment where that isn't just the main focus," says Lynch.
"The Golden Gavel is great because it's a relaxing environment and a good way to escape the high stress work of being a lawyer."
During his Queensland finals speech, the criminal prosecutor brought the house down by showcasing the profession through his own children's show satire of cartoon characters in the court system.
He believes taking the mickey out of the industry is a healthy dose of fun for all involved.
"I think it's good for lawyers to be able to poke fun at each other, because a lot of the time we take ourselves quite seriously," says Lynch.
Queensland Golden Gavel runner up Peter Sams (pictured right) of McBride Legal echoed the sentiments of his fellow competitor.
Sams also believes comedians and lawyers aren't so different at the crux, and that competitions like the Golden Gavel highlight those shared talents.
"I think the skills required in law and the skills required in comedy can actually be very similar," says Sams.
"Lawyers might not necessarily realise that there is a lot of crossover between those legal analytical skills and comedy skills, as most people who make jokes are very analytical and observant about the strange things in the world."
This marks the third time both Lynch and Sams have competed in the state Golden Gavel, and Lynch's first time on the national level.
Enjoyed this article?
Don't miss out on the knowledge and insights to be gained from our daily news and features.
Subscribe today to unlock unlimited access to in-depth business coverage, expert analysis, and exclusive content across all devices.
Support independent journalism and stay informed with stories that matter to you.
)
)
)
)
)
