JULY YULETIDE CELEBRATIONS: Principal Andrew Freer, honoured for his 25 years service at KJB. Christmas design: Miesha Moriniere/Pexels. Logo: DunJa2410/Pixabay.
OUR mid-year function at the end of last month was a staff party with a difference. Thanks to covid, there was no singing, no dancing and no close mingling. It was socially appropriate to keep a safe distance from each other, though it did feel odd!
But there was still lots of atmosphere, lots of things to celebrate — especially honouring principal and solicitor
Andrew Freer
for his 25 years’ service at KJB.
The Christmas in July function on Saturday, July 25, for KJB staff and their partners was at
The Boat House
in Canberra. It’s a great venue, right on the edge of Lake Burley Griffin. We had our own private room, with great food, great wine and great company.
Nevertheless, it was quite an unusual celebration for us as we respected social-distancing rules and all the other covid protocols to keep everyone safe.
During the evening fellow principal and solicitor
Jo Twible
spoke in glowing and warm terms about Andrew.
“For those of you who’ve only recently joined us, at our mid-year and end-of-year functions we take the opportunity to recognise and celebrate significant employment milestones,” Jo said.
' Anyone who works with Andrew knows
he’s incredibly hard-working, he's kind,
considerate and compassionate. Des
and I couldn’t ask for a better partner. '
JO TWIBLE
Principal and Solicitor
“Andrew started at KJB 25 years ago — on June 26 in 1995. Of our current workmates, only Sue and
Sonya
have been with the firm longer.
“When he started with us, the company was called Ken Johnston Bedford & Co which later became KJB Law. On his first day he impressed his workmates by baking and bringing in an orange poppy-seed cake which everyone enjoyed. At the time he also had black hair!
“In 2000 he made partner. Given his birthday milestone earlier this year, he’s now spent about half his life working here.
"Anyone who works with Andrew knows he’s incredibly hard-working, he’s kind, considerate and compassionate.
Des Moore
[fellow principal and solicitor] and I couldn’t ask for a better business partner!”
Then Jo presented him with a TAG Heuer watch on behalf of the company. Andrew wasn’t expecting this and was a bit overwhelmed.
“It was the first time I’d ever seen him put on the spot!” office manager Sue Hayes said afterwards. “Basically, he didn’t know what to say, and he’s usually a fantastic speaker, never stuck for words.
“He thanked everyone and said what a great place KJB was to work. He said he still remembered his job interview with me over 25 years ago and joked about who would interview anyone at 5pm on a Friday afternoon!”