Our People

Principal | Senior Legal Practitioner

Andrew is a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland and the High Court of Australia with over 30 years of experience in practising of law. He is also a Registered Principal as well as a Justice of the Peace since approximately 1973.

Andrew is fluent in the Russian language.

After arriving in Australia from Iran with his Russian parents in 1959, Andrew studied to become a High School Teacher and then went on to study Law and was admitted as Solicitor in 1985. In 1987 he completed his articles of clerkship with Chambers McNab Tully & Wilson now known as Corrs Chambers Westgarth, one of the top tier national Australian law firms, and in 1987 established his own law practice.

Upon setting up his own practice, members of the local Russian community started asking Andrew, on behalf of family and friends, for advice and information about buying and selling property, wills and other general areas of legal practice. From here a successful career grew.

Andrew has competent experience and skill in the following areas of law:

Andrew for most of his career since admission as a Solicitor in February of 1987 has been a principal of his own practice and practised as a sole practitioner as well as in partnership with a number of firms.

Between 1996 and 1998 Andrew was the Managing Partner of the firm of Nicol Robinson & Kidd as it was known then where his portfolio included business law, commercial leasing.

In the areas of business and commercial practice he has had extensive experience in acting for owners of large and small shopping centres and assisting people in the acquisition of businesses.

In the course of his professional career has been involved extensively with ethnic communities.

Andrew has also served a number of professional committees within the Queensland Law Society as well as the International Law Section of the Law Council of Australia and the Migration Institute of Australia.

Andrew also believes in giving back to the community. He is the honorary solicitor for the St Nicholas Cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church in Exile. As Andrew is both a Solicitor and a Justice of the Peace, he also provide free witnessing and document certifying services for the local community without the requirement of making an appointment.

Olga is a Solicitor, registered to practice in Queensland and in the Russian Federation.

Olga was a Principal of a Law Practice in Khabarovsk, Russia between 1995 and 2000 prior to migrating to Australia.

She has about 9 years experience in practising law in Russia as a qualified lawyer.

Since migrating to Australia in 2000 Olga always has been involved in law practice assisting Andrew in administration of the law office.

Upon migrating to Australia Olga completed her Juris Doctor degree at the University of Queensland and was admitted as a Solicitor in 2012.

Olga practices in the area of Administration of Deceased Estates and Australian Immigration Law.

She is fluent in both the Russian and the English languages.

Peter Duell is Special Counsel appointed to work in Forest Lake Law Practice in the area Wills and Deceased Estate Law. The firm is proud to have such a respectable and experienced senior practitioner as a member of the firm.

After the death of his Father in 1969 Peter had commenced as an articled clerk with his father’s firm of Duell Roberts and Kane Solicitors in 1960 and Peter was admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland in 1965.

Soon after admission Peter became Principal of his own firm ST Duell and Son for many years and acted for his clients in all areas of law including criminal, family and civil matters, all the while continuing to be drawn to the area of Wills and Estates.

Peter has worked in the area of Estate Law which he continues to be interested in and he has acquired excellent knowledge and practical experience in this area of the law, particularly in estate administration and disputes. Given his long term experience and knowledge in this area of the Law Peter has competently and successfully acted in complex deceased estate administration and dispute matters.

Peter’s ability to relate to his clients and explain matters to them in a way that resonates with them also makes him an excellent mediator for property, estate and elder law matters.

Peter is an external review officer with Qld Legal Aid Office a position which involves Peter attending the Queensland Legal Aid Office once a month to review decisions refusing aid and has the discretion to be able to override that decision.

Peter’s experience, skill and knowledge over 52 years of practice provides Forest Lake Law Practice the ability to give invaluable assistance to and promote the interests of our clients.