The Derbas family’s roots stretch back to Syr El Dunnieh, North Lebanon, but their heart now beats in the vibrant community of Bankstown—Sydney’s cultural heartland in the south-west. Their new Derbas Lawyers office, located in the bustling Kitchener Parade CBD precinct, marks a significant milestone: ten years of legal practice for Derbas Lawyers, led by Memtaz Derbas, Principal Lawyer, and proud Australian of Lebanese origin.

At the opening of the Derbas family’s new office, Angelo Bilias, Principal Lawyer at Bilias & Associates, Councillor at the NSW Law Society, and long-time advocate for small businesses, praised the Derbas family’s contribution to both the local community and the legal profession.

“Memtaz has been in the Bankstown area for a long time and has deep roots here. I’ve known him for many years, and he is very community-oriented,” shared Angelo. “You can see that he has set an example for both his family and the wider community.”

“He has a long and successful path ahead of him. We must acknowledge that it is much more difficult for people from diverse cultural backgrounds or those who have experienced setbacks to excel in a profession like law, but he has.”

Mona Derbas, Memtaz’s mother, and his wife, Safa Omar, reflected on the emotional journey of supporting Memtaz’s career—starting from humble beginnings in his mother’s home to Safa balancing family commitments while raising seven children and helping manage their growing security business. Both women expressed deep gratitude for Memtaz’s contributions to their family and the community.

“I’m so proud of Memtaz. I’m so proud of my son; he has made me so proud,” Mona shared tearfully. “You can see here, just by the number of people who have shown their support today, how much he is loved and supported.”

Safa also joined her mother-in-law in recognizing the family’s collective efforts in Memtaz’s legal journey, now supported by the next generation of Derbas family members. This includes their daughter Mona and son Tamer, both currently in vocational legal services courses at TAFE, as well as their niece Fatima, who is in her final year of law at Western Sydney University.

“I’m very proud of this achievement—for Memtaz and our family, especially now as our children join their father in building on his legacy,” said Safa. “It’s a family-run business, and I’m proud to support my husband and the work we’re doing together.”

Karma and Mark Derbas, Memtaz’s first cousins, also expressed their support for the family, highlighting their contribution to celebrating family values in Bankstown, the importance of hard work, and the strength of the local Muslim community.

“He is a lovely man. His family has done so much to support a more positive image of Muslims in Sydney,” shared Karma.

Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Bilal El-Hayek and Councillors Wendy Lindsay and George Zakhia attended the opening, with Mayor El-Hayek commenting on the growing presence of the firm and commending Memtaz’s children for following in their father’s footsteps.

“It’s a privilege to be here to mark the opening of the new office for Derbas Lawyers,” said El-Hayek. “It’s the start of a new chapter.”

Wally Mehanna, CEO and Founding Board Member of the Canterbury-Bankstown Chamber of Commerce, also reflected on the rare opportunity of establishing a business with family and the significance of this new office for the chamber.

“We’re proud to be here to celebrate this milestone event for Derbas Lawyers,” shared Mehanna. “Memtaz is a hardworking local, and this new office marks a new chapter for the family.”

Despite having his hands full with the new office opening, Memtaz didn’t shy away from sharing his frank and honest legal advice with new clients and aspiring lawyers.

“Nothing is ever easy,” Memtaz shared. “Before entering the legal profession, I was a local businessman, running a security company for over ten years.”

“I completed my undergraduate and postgraduate degrees by applying myself to study differently than some of my colleagues, so I could finish faster and gain early exposure to the practical aspects of law.”

He continued, “I encouraged my children—if they felt supported—to finish their high school studies and gain practical experience in the legal profession through a legal services certificate or vocational placement before committing to university studies. I gave my son the opportunity to do his first court mention at the age of 16 years of age, with the objective of giving him legal practice early on—from my observations, I have seen my son thriving in a more practical environment and applies himself every day.”

“I bring my love for being a lawyer and helping people to my job every day. Seeing a lawyer isn’t cheap, and people need to know that when they walk through these doors, they’ll always have me directly involved in their matter—to ensure we achieve the best outcome for our clients given the circumstances.”

“I dedicate myself to helping people—I have clients who come all the way from Bondi because they know the kind of service they’ll receive from me and my staff.”

Mahmoud Youssef, President of the El Dunnieh Sons Charity Association, commended Memtaz Derbas, as Derbas Lawyers celebrates ten years of professional legal practice in a community where civil matters demand a careful and nuanced understanding of the real issues in dispute.

“I’m so proud to see that our community has such positive role models here in Australia, representing our small Lebanese community in Sydney,” said Youssef. “I wish Memtaz and his family all the best in this next chapter. Our community is seeing more and more graduates from some of Australia’s finest universities stepping into new businesses. So today, I am very proud.”

Mark Coure, State Member for Oatley and Shadow Minister for South-West Sydney, echoed similar sentiments, commenting on the growing success of local businesses in Sydney’s South West.

“I’ve known Memtaz for a long time. I’m happy to be part of the new office opening,” said Coure. “It’s an astounding opportunity to establish and continue this firm after ten years.”

Finally, Fadi Derbas, a close mentor and relative of the Derbas family, shared his thoughts on the family’s future legacy, noting the rising aspirations of the next generation of Derbas children, who may eventually eclipse the hard work and achievements of their father and uncle.

“I know that the opening of this office means Memtaz will continue helping as many people as he can,” said Fadi. “His children and niece will also work here, and they’re already driving the next chapter of the family’s legacy.”