We provide legal services in all areas of family law, including:

1.     Property settlements;

2.     Children and parenting matters;

3.     Divorce;

4.     Binding Financial Agreements (also known as ‘pre-nups’);

5.     Family Violence Orders;

6.     Looking out for your family in the wider context of the law – criminal and employment issues.

We understand that every family and relationship is unique and one solution does not fit all. Our inclusive legal team tailors advice and services to suit your particular circumstances and we offer care and attention to detail without judgment.

Knowledge is power. We aim to ensure you feel in control and empowered throughout your separation or divorce by arming you with accurate and up to date information. This helps you to better instruct us in what is often one of the most difficult times of your life. We consider what might be the most appropriate legal pathway for you in all the circumstances of your case.

While we do not shy away from litigation and will fiercely advocate for you should your matter require it, Court should, in many cases, be the exception and not the norm. We use a collaborative approach using our networks within the legal and wider professional community to try to settle your family law matter through an exchange of negotiations, roundtable conferences or mediation in an effort to avoid you ending up in what can be lengthy and costly litigation.

Property Settlements

Contrary to popular belief, a family law property settlement is not simply splitting assets down the middle. A property settlement must be just and equitable.

We recommend you seek legal advice as soon as possible after separation or before you separate to give you the best opportunity to protect those assets that are important to you and which you may have worked hard to obtain or to which you may be entitled.

We can advise on how the law requires a consideration of contributions to the property pool made by both parties and the future financial needs of each party. We can also advise whether it may be appropriate to sever any joint tenancies to protect your assets to the extent possible between separation and property settlement.

Our extensive networks in the wider professional community mean we can put you in touch with accountants and financial advisors giving you a holistic understanding of what your property settlement means for you legally and financially.

Contact us here to find out more about how we can help you in relation to your family law property needs.  

Children and Parenting Matters

Our team approaches every family law children’s matter with requisite care and sensitivity with an acute understanding that children are the most important aspect of any family law matter.

When determining how much time a child spends with each parent, the paramount consideration is what is in the best interests of the children. In determining what is in their best interests, it is essential to ensure your children are protected from risk of physical and psychological harm and to consider the benefit to your children of having a meaningful relationship with both parents.

Every child is different. With this in mind, we offer a holistic approach to children’s matters and can put you in touch with family therapists, psychologists and counsellors who can make assessments and recommendations as to what is in the best interests of your children when negotiating parenting arrangements.  

Getting advice early in the family law process can ensure you avoid what can sometimes be emotionally and financially costly errors in family law children’s matters. In many cases, we are able to negotiate post separation parenting arrangements without the need for either party to ever go to Court, but if your matter does end up in litigation, you can be confident in the knowledge that our team will fight for you.

Don’t leave your family children’s matter to chance. Contact us here to find out more.

Divorce

Let us take the stress and hassle out of your divorce. Contact us to find out more about our competitive fixed fees for divorce matters.

Binding Financial Agreements

While Binding Financial Agreements (“BFA”) (sometimes referred to as ‘pre-nups’) often get a bad wrap, when correctly drafted by an experienced legal practitioner, they can be a highly useful tool to protect your assets.

A BFA can be made at the commencement of a de facto relationship, prior to marriage or during marriage to avoid future Court litigation in the event of a separation; or can be made at the end of a relationship to document an agreed property division.

BFAs can be particularly useful for those parties who are in their second or subsequent marriage or where one party’s assets are of greater value than the other and they wish to ‘cocoon’ or protect those assets from future family law disputes. These, often highly technical documents, can, in the right context, also be an effective estate planning tool where a party wishes to prevent their spouse or former spouse from making a future claim on their estate.

We understand that most couples who enter BFAs at the commencement of or during their relationship want this document to bring them closer together. By having difficult conversations early, couples are able to enter a BFA, put their minds at ease and move on with what they hope to be a long and happy relationship.

Contact us here to find out how we can assist to protect the assets that are important to you and avoid future family law litigation in the unfortunate event of separation.  

Family Violence Orders

Family Violence is violent, threatening or other behaviour by a person that coerces or controls a member of the person’s family or causes the family member to be fearful.

Whether you have obtained or need assistance in obtaining a Family Violence Order in the ACT or an Apprehended Domestic Violence Order in NSW or have been served with either of these Orders, our compassionate team is here to help you.

Our team is also experienced in advocating for those in need of a Personal Protection Order or who have been served with a Personal Protection Order.

We recommend seeking advice early so that you are legally supported throughout what can be an emotional and at times, difficult process to navigate in the absence of legal knowledge.

Looking out for your Family in the Broader Context of the Law

There may be times where or you someone in your family, perhaps your son or daughter. has to contend with unexpected legal issues, for example criminal allegations or employment issues.

If you or someone you know has been served with a Family Violence Order or Personal Protection Order, we can advise on the broader implications these types of Orders can have on employment and working with vulnerable people in the future.

We have defended clients in relation to assault, stalking and shoplifting charges. We have strong connections with experienced Counsel to ensure that you have a qualified team to support you through the criminal law process.

We also offer employment law services for both employers and employees. Ask us about:

1.     Employment contracts, whether you need an employment contract for your own business or advice on interpreting an existing contract;

2.     Your legal rights and remedies if you have been bullied or harassed in the workplace;

3.     What you can do if you think you have been unfairly or unlawfully dismissed by your employer;

4.     What to do if you have been injured in the workplace.