CJM Lawyers Introduce Ruth Jeffers

Gold Coast and Tweed Shire legal firm Cronin James McLaughlin Lawyers (CJM Lawyers) has welcomed Senior Associate Ruth Jeffers to the team at its Tweed Heads office in northern NSW.

Ruth joins CJM’s highly experienced and accomplished team of solicitors and conveyancers who strive to provide clients with the most professional level of service on everything from Family Law and power of attorney to debt recovery, retail and commercial leases, conveyancing, wills and estates, insolvency and bankruptcy, employment and contract law, banking and finance.

CJM Lawyers know that having professional advice to help protect your best interests is only the beginning when it comes to Family Law.

As an Accredited Practitioner in Family Law and a Senior Associate at the firm, Ruth brings extensive experience in matters involving children and parenting disputes, property settlements, separation and divorce, de facto and same-sex relationships, mediation, and family violence.

“I really like the human element of Family Law,” she says.

A former teacher, Ruth understands that her clients are often experiencing a very challenging and distressing period of their lives when they seek legal advice and assistance and provides them with support and straightforward advice every step of the way.

“Because Family Law is such a personal area of law, what’s a good fit for one client may not be the right fit for the other,” Ruth says.

“We hear the most sensitive information about clients’ lives. You become a confidante.”

When it comes to Family Law, Ruth says having a lawyer who has a comprehensive understanding of the process, your entitlements and the required level of support is imperative to attaining a successful outcome.

Ruth works with clients to decide the best course of action based on their individual circumstances and to alleviate stress and apprehension during what is already an emotionally challenging time.

Ruth quickly develops a comprehensive insight into her client’s individual needs and is committed to resolving her client’s Family Law matter at the earliest opportunity.

“It’s definitely my approach to try and resolve disputes,” she says.

“A conciliatory approach is my preference where possible . . . to try and calm things down rather than inflame things.

“Obviously you have to be a strong advocate for your client, whether things are amicable or not, but if possible, we’re not trying to blow things out. We’re trying to resolve things amicably so the client can get on with their lives.”

Where litigation is necessary, Ruth is a highly experienced and confident advocate who guides her clients through the Court process one step at a time.

“Families who have to be involved with the Family Court system are generally in a state of crisis and for them to get to that stage, where they need a judicial determination of their arrangements for their children or property as well, they’re there because nothing else has worked for them,” Ruth says.

“I don’t think anybody races into the Family Law Court system if they don’t absolutely have to.”

Born and bred in Victoria, Ruth lived and worked near Geelong, on the Surf Coast, and in the NSW coastal town of Port Macquarie before joining CJM and settling on the Tweed Coast in August 2020.

Admitted to practice in 2006, Ruth has focused exclusively on Family Law since 2007. She obtained accreditation in Family Law in 2011 and is also a highly experienced Independent Children’s Lawyer.

Ruth holds a Bachelor of Law (Honours) from Monash University, a Bachelor of Teaching (Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne.

“I’ve worked for Legal Aid in NSW and I’ve worked for Legal Aid in Victoria and I’ve also worked in private practice in Victoria and now private practice again here, which crosses NSW and Queensland, where many of our clients are,” she says.

CJM Lawyers’ Tweed Shire office employs solicitors and conveyancers locals know and trust, including long-term members of the Tweed area, all of whom share a strong community focus.

In her spare time, Ruth enjoys beach walks with her two Staffordshire Terriers, wandering through local markets and sipping champagne at the races.

“I live and work here,” she says. “This is my community. I’m thrilled to be working in this community.”