A good legal practitioner can use the law to help and enhance the lives of their clients. This has certainly been the experience of solicitor Taso Nicolaidis.
Born and raised in Canberra, Taso completed his legal studies at the University of Canberra and Australian National University before managing a busy personal injury practice for five years with a focus on helping survivors of child abuse. During that time, though, he realised that he wanted to provide additional assistance to his clients in all aspects of their lives.
Taso began looking for a firm handling a broader range of services – that’s when he discovered Baker Deane and Nutt Lawyers.
“They have the history, the strong connection with the Queanbeyan and Canberra community, and a high emphasis on exceptional client service,” Taso says. “In my experience, they genuinely care for their clients.”
He joined the firm in 2018 and has since expanded his practice to include workers compensation claims, criminal law, commercial litigation, conveyancing and wills and estates.
Taso is married and has two young children. He says that his wife, who also has legal qualifications, is supportive of his passion for helping other people and understands the demands of the job. The other two important people in his life are his father and his grandmother, who helped maintain and focus his goal to become a solicitor through his university studies and beyond.
Taso also has the advantage of speaking Greek, an example of how he is always striving to make the legal process easier for his clients.
“It may be that a person has approached us for advice due to a death in their family or because they have been injured at work. Being able to speak to them about that in a language that person speaks at home allows me to be sensitive to that client’s needs and provide advice to them in a better way than what I could have done in English.”
Providing exceptional service drives Taso’s work at Baker Deane and Nutt.“I often get a personal injury client coming to me to do their will, or instructing me down the track to do work for their small business,” he says. “There is a lot of value we can add representing ongoing clients in cases against insurers or large companies because we’re familiar with their personal and business operations. Ultimately, it is immensely satisfying to resolve a legal dispute and enable a client to move forward with their life and business. It makes the demands of the work worthwhile.”
Most memorable event in Canberra: As an avid cricket fan and former player for the Ginninderra Tigers, Taso will never forget attending the first day/night cricket match at Manuka Oval in 2013.
Things you love about Canberra: The small size of the city. “There is more of a community feel anywhere you go in Canberra and there is always something going on as well.”
Most admired Canberran: Georgeina Whelan, for her “really impressive job during the current bushfire crisis”.
Favourite Canberra eating place: Sage Dining Rooms for a great night out; Belco Halal Kebabs for a good night in; Alibi in Civic for good coffee … and the Multicultural Festival.
What I loathe in the capital: Roadworks.