What we do
A relationship or family breakdown is one of the most traumatic and stressful experience you can go through. We are here to help you navigate what can be an overwhelming and emotional process. We are experienced family lawyers who practice in all areas of family law.
-
Divorce is the legal process of ending a marriage. When granting a divorce the court needs to be satisfied that the marriage has irretrievably broken down and you have been separated for at least 12 months. Getting a divorce does not resolve parenting or financial matters.
-
After a separation you will need to divide your property, this is called a property settlement. Determining how to divide the property and then going about such division is a complex area of law and you should obtain legal advice as soon as possible to ensure your rights are protected.
-
Separating parents need to make arrangements for their children, this includes deciding things like where the children will live, how the parents will manage drop offs and collections, who will make decisions for the children. There is no standard or one size fits all arrangement, your family is unique and the arrangements that best suit your children will be unique also. We can help you navigate these arrangements by helping you negotiate with your ex partner, formalising any agreement you reach or helping you through the court process.
For more detailed information, learn more here:
-
Family breakdown doesn’t just affect the parents and the children. As well as ensuring that a child’s relationship with their parents is protected the law also recognises that other relationships are important to children - such as grandparents, step parents etc. If your relationship with a child is being affected by a family breakdown and you want to ensure that the child’s relationship with you will be maintained and protected contact us for help.
-
Couples can enter into a financial agreement which sets out how your property will be divided if you separate, commonly these are referred to as a prenuptial agreement, but the correct term is a binding financial agreement (BFA). A BFA is effectively a contract which details what each person’s rights will be if the relationship ends. They can be created before, during or after a relationship or marriage. BFA have serious consequences and it is a requirement that you obtain independent legal advice before a BFA can be entered into. If you are considering a BFA contact us.
-
Whether you require a Protection or someone has made an application for an order against you, you should get legal advice as soon as possible. Orders (even temporary/interim Orders) can have serious consequences for all parties. Some of those consequences can include employment issues, family law and criminal law issues. You need a lawyer who has extensive experience in domestic violence matters and can also advise you in relation to all areas – you need a family lawyer, a criminal lawyer and a domestic violence lawyer. We practice in those areas and only those areas. We also have close relationships with a number of services who can assist with non legal matters which is essential when dealing with a domestic violence matter.
-
If the Department of Child Safety become involved with your family you need expert advice as soon as possible. This includes if the Department are seeking to engage with you on a voluntary basis (intervention with parental agreement / care orders, safety plan etc) or if they have applied to the court for orders concerning your children. Often you won’t know the Department have applied for orders until after the order is made and obtaining early advice is essential.
For more detailed information, learn more here:
-
Undergoing fertility treatment or considering other options such as surrogacy when starting or expanding your family is stressful. We can assist by providing you with advice and representation in relation to the legal aspects of your journey including egg, sperm and embryo donation and storage (anonymous or known) and surrogacy.
