Best Family Lawyers Melbourne: Your Guide to Finding the Right Lawyer

Angela is an experienced family lawyer with over 20 years of experience in the law, having been admitted to practise in 2002. She is calm, compassionate, and confident, and passionate about helping her clients achieve the best outcome.

Angela started in practice at a commercial & litigation firm in 2001, progressing from articled clerk to Senior Associate, before moving to a boutique family law firm in 2008. She commenced as a Director at Saunders Family & Estate Lawyers in 2018.

In addition to her busy practice, she has been a regular speaker for the Law Institute of Victoria on diverse topics relevant to family law including “Dealing with Difficult People”. She has run numerous workshops on various aspects of Family Law including on Financial Agreements and Parenting Matters.

She acts in all types of Family Law matters as well as Intervention Order proceedings – including parenting and property matters – either contested or by consent.

Angela routinely drafts and advises on Financial Agreements – including pre-nuptial and cohabitation agreements, and those entered into during a marriage or defacto relationship.

Angela has regular Court appearances in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (FCFCOA).

She is experienced in complicated matters including those involving third parties, bankruptcy, and urgent matters, such as injunctions to preserve property, Airport Watch List (Family Law List) orders and applications for recovery orders in relation to children.

Angela is a skilled negotiator and has participated in countless successful Mediations and Dispute Resolution events during her career so far.

Bronwyn is committed to assisting her clients resolve the wide variety of issues that can arise upon the breakdown of relationships, as promptly and cost-effectively as possible. Those issues include property division, superannuation splitting (including SMSF and small SPRA funds), spousal maintenance, children's arrangements (including a child's living and care arrangements, school selection, prevention of removal from Australia and children's financial support), determining parentage, divorce applications, family violence Intervention Orders and other injunctions and restraining orders.

Bronwyn assists her clients resolve matters by ensuring they understand their options and the range of possible outcomes and, if possible, avoid litigation. Should litigation be the appropriate approach, then Bronwyn has the experience required to assist her clients pursue the orders or entitlements they seek through the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia.

Having worked exclusively in family law for well over 20 years and been recognised as an Accredited Family Law Specialist since 1998, Bronwyn joined JH Legal in February 2020. Bronwyn also worked as a family dispute resolution practitioner between 2008 and 2009 before returning to family law. Bronwyn continues to be a member of the Family Lawyers Panel operated by Relationships Australia, Victoria.

Claire is an accredited family law specialist and a partner in Lander & Rogers' Melbourne family and relationship law office.

Having practised exclusively in family law since her admission to practice, Claire is passionate about her role as a family lawyer. She takes pride in providing specialist legal advice to her clients and empowering them with the financial independence and emotional security to plan for the next chapter of their lives.

Claire's clients frequently comment on her attention to detail, responsiveness, and commercial approach. She understands that navigating the Australian family law system can be a complex experience, so she endeavours to provide clear, measured and concise family law advice to help her clients feel well-informed throughout the process. She understands that each client has different needs, interests and goals, and tailors her advice accordingly.

Claire is an advocate for alternative dispute resolution and, where possible, encourages her clients to engage in mediation before considering litigation. Where litigation is necessary, Claire is a fearless advocate and strives to achieve the best results for her clients, should their matter involve a property settlement and/or spousal maintenance, or arrangements in relation to children.

n recent years, Claire has expanded her practice to work with family offices and high net worth individuals, drafting financial agreements for the protection of inter-generational wealth. This advice often involves working alongside her clients' network of trusted financial advisors and is particularly important for families seeking to successfully preserve, grow and transfer their legacy across future generations.

Claire is a member of the international family law team at Lander & Rogers and services clients located overseas, including expat Australians living in Singapore and the United Kingdom.

In addition to attaining her specialist accreditation in family law, Claire is currently studying a Master of Business Administration at Melbourne Business School. She has been recognised by the legal profession in several industry awards, including as a finalist for "Senior Associate of the Year - BigLaw" at the Women In Law Awards (2021), the Lawyers Weekly 30 Under 30 "Wellness Advocate" award (2019) and the Law Institute of Victoria 15th Victorian Legal Awards "Wellbeing Award" (2019).

Jemma is a partner of Forte Family Lawyers. She has practised in family law for more than 12 years.

Jemma obtained Specialist Accreditation as a Family Lawyer from the Law Institute of Victoria in 2015. Accreditation recognises the high level of knowledge and practical skills that Jemma brings to each matter. Jemma was recognised as a rising star in family law in Melbourne in Doyle’s 2022 Guide to the Australian Legal Market.

Jemma has experience in a wide variety of family law cases including complex property disputes, maintenance, Financial Agreements (including pre-nuptial), care and living arrangements for children, child support and family violence.

Jemma is a Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers a global association of lawyers recognised by their professional colleagues for their skill and experience. Jemma is routinely engaged to act in international matters, including parenting, financial, jurisdictional and forum disputes.

In addition to her daily work with clients, Jemma has authored papers and presented seminars to peers in the legal professional, financial advisors and medico-legal professionals.

Jemma is a member of the Executive Committee of the Family Law Section of the Law Institute of Victoria. She is also a member of the Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia and for Victorian Women Lawyers.

Joe grew up in country Victoria and after completing degrees in Economics (1983) and Law (1985) at Monash University he was admitted to practice law in March 1987. Joe has practiced exclusively in Family Law since his admission and in 1992 was accredited as a Family Law Specialist by the Law Institute of Victoria.

Joe joined Pearsons in 1993 continuing to specialise in all aspects of relationship breakdowns involving financial and property matters (including complex companies and trust structures), parenting matters, child support issues and all issues requiring resolution upon the breakdown of a relationship.

Being able to communicate effectively with clients is what Joe prides himself on. He explains complex and difficult legal concepts in easily understood language and guides clients through traumatic and difficult times to achieve the best possible outcome for them.

Joe’s favourite saying to clients is that they have entered a tunnel but that he will guide them through its many twists and turns to the light at the other end.

Since its inception in 1922, Pearsons has grown to become a very well recognised and respected practice of specialist Family Lawyers with multiple offices in the CBD and greater Melbourne including regionally in Geelong and Barwon Heads.

Joe and Leanne lead an experienced team of Family Lawyers who provide expert advice to clients so that they know where they stand.

Kate is an Accredited Family Law Specialist and has over 30 years experience in law both at home and abroad in the UK. Kate has established a reputation as a leading figure in the complex arena of Family Law.

being able to give expert advice on the legal and financial aspects of Family Law, Kate is adept at finding creative and practical solutions for her clients. A great deal of Kate’s focus is directed at negotiating financial matters without the need for contested legal proceedings.

Kate is a member of both the Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia, as well as the Family Law Section of the Law Institute of Victoria.

Kuppy has over 30 years of experience in family law, working in leading specialist family law firms before founding Nambiar Hogg Family Lawyers.

Kuppy is known for her firm but fair approach, and for providing practical advice to her clients with empathy, care, and humour.

She is committed to professional development and education, frequently presenting at conferences and seminars for other family lawyers, and for many years has been a Family Law and Ethics instructor at Leo Cussen Centre for Law and has volunteered at several community centres.

Kuppy is a member of the Family Law sections of the Law Institute of Victoria and the Law Council of Australia and a past member of the Family Law Advisory Committee to the Accreditation Board of the Law Institute of Victoria for Family Law, responsible for assessing and examining candidates for accreditation in Family Law.

Upon commencing her legal career in 2014 at a generalist legal practice in the northern suburbs, Natasha practised in family law and intervention order matters as well as property law and other litigation matters. Having practical experience in other practice areas assists Natasha when these interrelated issues arise in her clients’ family law matters.

Natasha prides herself on providing accurate, realistic, practical, and solution-focused advice to her clients, with empathy and compassion, whilst aiming to achieve the best possible results for her clients.

She is a member of the Law Institute of Victoria (LIV). Natasha is the Chair of the LIV’s Family Law Section’s Courts Practice Committee and a member of the Family Law Section Executive Committee. She is also a member of the Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia and is the Secretary of the Northern Suburbs Law Association.

I have been in legal practice for over 28 years since gaining a Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Arts and Graduate Certificate in Legal Practice from the University of Tasmania, my birth state.

In 2005, I was recognised as an Accredited Family Law Specialist by the Law Institute of Victoria.

I am admitted to practice in both the Supreme Court of Victoria and Tasmania, together with the High Court of Australia, which includes all Federal Courts across Australia.

Since moving to Melbourne in 2000, I have worked at a number of high profile firms specialising in Family Law. In 2007, I established Cornelius Family Law with the goal of providing to clients personal, accurate and specialist advice in all areas of Family Law.

For over 10 years, I was a regular guest lecturer at the Leo Cussens Institute where I taught Family Law to law student graduates and provided Continuing Professional Development to legal practitioners and their staff in Family Law.

I have also presented papers to the legal profession and have been published on such topics as “Domestic Violence in Family Law Property Settlements”.