Service Areas
Our legal services include advice, representation, mediation, negotiation, arbitration and litigation for matters involving one or more of the following family law issues:
- Financial matters arising from married, de facto or same sex relationships including property settlement, spousal maintenance and issues involving third parties or corporate structures
- Parenting disputes including interstate and overseas relocation and matters involving IVF and surrogacy
- International parenting and financial matters including child abduction, jurisdiction disputes and the implementation and enforcement of orders made in domestic and international courts
- Financial agreements including agreements made before, during and after the relationship
- Child support including international disputes
- Injunctive relief and restraining orders
- Family violence and intervention order proceedings
Financial Disputes
The Family Law Act 1975 confers broad discretion on the Family Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court of Australia to make orders altering the property interests of parties to a marriage or a de facto relationship which has broken down. Property and financial matters may be resolved via negotiated arrangements and formalised by consent orders or a financial agreement. If you have separated, or are considering separation, we recommend obtaining legal advice specific to your situation.
Parenting disputes
Resolving the living arrangements of the children (including where they will live and the time they should spend with other parent) can be the most challenging aspect of any relationship breakdown. Obtaining legal advice and/or representation from a lawyer can help you understand the legal and social science framework around these issues as well as the options available to resolve these disputes.
International family law
We can assist with legal advice and representation if there is cross-jurisdictional element to your financial or parenting matter including jurisdictional (forum) disputes, parties or assets located overseas, the implementation of orders made in overseas jurisdictions, and proceedings under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.
Financial Agreements
Financial agreements can be entered into prior to or during a relationship, or after a relationship breakdown or divorce. They are, essentially, contracts that set out property and ancillary financial matters are to be dealt with. Under the Family Law Act 1975, certain requirements must be met for a financial agreement to be legally binding. We can assist with the preparation and execution of a financial agreement, including the provision of independent legal advice, or the enforcement of an agreement.
Child Support
We can provide advice and assistance in relation to child support disputes arising our of the Child Support (Assessment) Act 1989 including review of assessment, third party or non-periodic payments, binding and limited child support agreements, and child support or child maintenance involving a parent living overseas.
Injunctive relief and restraining orders
Following the end of a relationship, one party may commence acting in a manner that is unilateral in nature which has the effect of depleting assets or there may be concerns about substance abuse, mental health, family violence or other risk factors involving children. We can provide advice and assistance in relation to injunctive relief, restraining orders and intervention order proceedings.