A career-long passion for people has seen John Eades inducted into the Order of Australia for significant service to the law, to professional standards, and to the community.
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Initially surprised at receiving the call for the Queen's Birthday honours, he took a few days to decide whether or not he would accept.
"I wasn't aware that I had been nominated so it came out of the blue," Mr Eades said.
Starting his career at Noyce, Salmon and D'Aquino as a solicitor in 1969, he has since been a senior partner and remains a consultant.
Working as a country solicitor has been a delight - helping real people solve their problems, it has given me great deal of satisfaction.
- John Eades
Mr Eades has played a pivotal role in the Law Society of NSW since 2001 holding positions councillor, treasurer, junior and senior vice president, and president. He is also currently president of the Riverina Law Society, a position he has held since 1997. He credits this position as being his "most locally significant" undertaking.
Since being involved in legal politics for most of his career, serving as the regional president was "really the next step" for him.
"I have been in Griffith for many years and have been successful in my profession, and still am, and this is me saying 'thank you' and giving back to the community," Mr Eades explained.
Working in family law and with the department of community service, he says he has seen the "lowest estimation" of human beings.
"It can be very difficult... But I cope by being an optimistic person and seeing good in people."
Looking back at where it all started, Mr Eades reminisced he had three ambitions for his future. One was being the man who rode the elephant at Taronga Zoo, the next a train driver, and finally the third time struck home as a lawyer.
"It was a means of service for me," he said.
"Working as a country solicitor has been a delight - helping real people solve their problems, it has given me great deal of satisfaction."
Over the years he has seen many changes, and says the face of the law is very different to the face he sees today.
"People think they can change the world by changing the law, but it doesn't work that way."
His passion for the community has carried over outside of the law, being the Chancellor of the Anglican Diocese of the Riverina since 2008, as well as being the judge for the NSW Working Sheepdog Workers Inc.
When asked what his highlights of it all were: "being the regional president for so long, being accepted as the president of the Law Society, and working with some very fine priests in the Anglican community."
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