Delve into all the current issues for Family law property matters in one day. Explore the rights and interests in trusts and the distribution as a part of the asset pool. Unpack the current approach taken towards initial and external contributions and dealing with disputed debts from third-parties. Stay informed with an annual update on recent cases and legislative changes, including the Family Law Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2023 – Property Disputes Amendment. Gain all your ethics and skills points though an in-depth discussion of identifying the assets from a lawyer and forensic accountant perspective, dealing with violence and coercive control in a family law practice and key ethical issues commonly missed in practice.

Presenters

Simone Fraser, Barrister, 19 Inns Chambers
Simone has been admitted as a legal practitioner since 2007 and commenced practice at the Bar in 2013. Simone regularly appears in the Federal Circuit Court and Family Court and has experience in High Court leave applications. She practices primarily in the area of family law and is a Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner, a nationally accredited mediator and a nationally accredited family law arbitrator. Prior coming to the Bar, Simone was an Associate to Justice Philippides of the Supreme Court of Queensland and worked in private practice. Simone subsequently spent several years working in-house before returning to private practice as a solicitor. Simone was the recipient of the Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship from Bond University where she completed a Bachelor of Laws with Honours and a Bachelor of International Relations. She also holds an MBA which she completed at the European School of Management, Paris. Simone was named in Doyle’s Guide 2021 as a recommended junior counsel in Queensland for family law, parenting and children’s matters and family law mediation. Simone is currently one of the Counsel Assisting to the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability. Simone has chambers in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast.


Kay Feeney, Director, Feeney Family Lawyers
Kay has been an expert in family law for more than 35 years. She was admitted as a solicitor in 1985 and has been the director of Feeney Family Law since 2011. Kay is an accredited Family Law Specialist. She combines her Family Law expertise with an understanding of her clients’ issues and expectations to promote a safe, calm, and respectful rapport. She possesses a high level of legal technical competency and holds a clear tenacity of purpose. She ensures that her clients feel supported and are not vulnerable to any imbalances of power. Kay boasts extensive litigation experience with particular interest in mediation, collaboration, and arbitration. She is a Nationally Accredited Mediator and Arbitrator for family law matters and a qualified Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner. Her wisdom and experience as a mediator are highly requested. She has experience in property matters involving high value and working in complex corporate structures. She is also an expert across a range of other family matters, including parenting disputes complicated by parental deficits and special needs children. She also has vast experience as an Independent Children’s Lawyer. Kay comes recommended in the Doyle’s Guide of Leading Family & Divorce Lawyers in Brisbane for 2022. She has presented “How to limit conflict in Family Law matters” at two US conferences and presented at two European conferences “Family Lawyers & Legal Professional Privilege” and “Property Settlements & Spouse Maintenance for the Elderly”.


Olivia Phillips, Director, Phillips Family Law
Olivia Phillips is an empathetic family lawyer who takes great pride in assisting clients through their relationship breakdown to overcome the challenges they are facing. Olivia provides clear and strategic advice to clients on all aspects of family law. With experience and maturity well beyond her years, she has been exposed to a wide range of family law issues including complex property settlements, parenting disputes, financial agreements and spousal maintenance. Prior to Olivia’s admission, she spent her final year of study working as an Associate to His Honour Chief Judge O’Brien, Chief Judge of the District Court of Queensland. As an associate, she gained a unique perspective about the operation of the court and litigation. This experience serves her well in assisting her clients through the litigation process.


Alison Ross, Partner, Hopgood Ganim
Alison Ross specialises in complex property matters and other financial matters arising from relationship breakdowns. She has worked exclusively in family law since 1996 and has extensive experience in both matrimonial and de facto relationship law. Alison's expertise includes advising on international family law matters, both financial matters and those relating to children, including relocation and child abduction. An Accredited Family Law Specialist, Alison is the immediate past Chair of the Queensland Law Society's Family Law Committee. She is a member of the Queensland Law Society Continuing Professional Development Committee. She is also a member of the Family Law Practitioners' Association, the Law Council of Australia's Family Law Section, the Child Protection Practitioners' Association of Queensland and Queensland Collaborative Law. Alison has been ranked a leading lawyer in Doyles Guide to Leading Family and Divorce Lawyers - Brisbane since 2012.


Robert Gordon, Barrister, Inns of Court


Carissa Lacey, Associate Director, Forensic Commercial Team, Vincents
Carissa is an Associate Director in the Forensic Services division at Vincents. Carissa’s primary area of expertise is in the preparation of business valuation reports, used as expert evidence for family law, sale or restructuring, financing, taxation, and other litigation purposes. Carissa also specialises in assessing economic loss in commercial matters, as well as assessing the solvency and financial capacity of entities. Carissa’s training in Collaborative Practice and role in financial disputes has allowed her to develop specific skills required to identify stakeholders’ real interests and goals, and assist them in deriving mutually beneficial outcomes, delivered in a pragmatic and respectful manner. Carissa joined Vincents as a graduate in 2012 and was appointed an Associate Director in 2019. Carissa has 11 years’ experience providing forensic accounting and business valuation services. Most recently, in January 2023, Carissa was elected to the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ) Queensland Regional Council. Carissa has presented as a guest lecturer at Queensland University of Technology’s Business School regarding the role of a forensic accountant and the preparation of expert reports. Carissa has also facilitated accounting and business valuation workshops for early career lawyers since 2020.


Neil McGregor, Barrister, Brisbane Chambers
As a highly experienced barrister in Brisbane, Neil McGregor appreciates the challenge of family law trial work and advocacy. Neil was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in New Zealand in 1974 before moving to Australia. In Queensland, he was admitted as a solicitor in 1980, and then a barrister in 1984. He is a nationally accredited Mediator, a Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner (R1005156), and an Arbitrator under s.10M of the Family Law Act 1975. Whilst specialising predominantly in the field of Family Law for more than 25 years, Neil's career includes a wide range of disciplines including drawing Wills and contracts; conveyancing and complex commercial transactions; criminal work (trial and appellate); personal injuries; and civil, commercial and property litigation. Throughout his career, Neil has contributed to a number of publications such as Butterworth's Court Forms and Pleadings Queensland, and was a reporter for the Queensland Reports. He regularly presents and speaks at specialist legal conferences and seminars on the many facets that make up Family Law.


Sarah Dibley, Special Counsel, Lander & Rogers
Sarah is a Special Counsel in the Brisbane office of Lander & Rogers' Family & Relationship Law practice. Having worked exclusively in family law since 2008, Sarah is a trusted advisor to her wide network of clients based in Queensland and internationally. When working with Sarah you can expect measured, strategic advice. Sarah recognises that there are many ways to resolve family law matters and relies on her extensive experience to provide solutions to clients that align with their values and priorities. Sarah is consistently recognised in peer review publications as a leader in family law. She was named a leading parenting & children's matter lawyer in the 2024 edition of Doyle's Guide, and a Rising Star in the 2018-2022 editions. Sarah is a member of Queensland's Family Law Accreditation Advisory Committee and the Family Law Practitioners Association. She regularly contributes to industry publications and appears as a panellist at events to share insights on topical family law issues.


Shannon Walker, Associate Director, Vincents
Shannon’s primary area of expertise is in the preparation of business valuation reports, used as expert evidence for family law, taxation, restructuring, and other litigation purposes. Shannon’s previous experience in the insolvency and reconstruction sector also enhances his expertise in undertaking assessments as to solvency and other financial capacity assessments of entities. Shannon joined Vincents in 2016. Shannon has 6 years’ experience in forensic accounting and business valuation services, with a further 4 years in insolvency and reconstruction services.


Pippa Colman, Director, Pippa Colman Family Law
Pippa is one of the most distinguished and highly sought after Accredited Family Law Specialists in the field of family law and also as a Mediator and Arbitrator. She is renowned for her expertise in navigating complex legal matters with discretion and precision, as well as her compassionate approach to clients in distress, and her willingness to go the extra mile to help them, which sets her apart as a trusted advisor. Pippa is also well known for her dedication to continuing professional development and has, since the 1980s, delivered seminars and talks for the Queensland Law Society, the Sunshine Coast Law Association, the Accord Group of Sydney, in Australia, Hong Kong and Malaysia, Legalwise seminars, the Television Education Network, the Queensland University and the Sunshine Coast University.  Pippa has been an active member of the Sunshine Coast Law Association since the 1970s, has been a president of the Association and is and has been a committee member for many years.  Pippa was a member of the Committee which established the Maroochydore Neighbourhood Centre in the 1970s.  She was an active member of the Sunshine Coast Community Legal Service for many years.  In 1995, she helped establish the Sunshine Coast Family Contact Centre Association (Inc) which helps children maintain relationships with both of their parents and was recognised by the Supreme Court for her efforts. Pippa has been a member of the Suncoast Business Network, an association of Sunshine Coast business owners, for more than 10 years and is a current member of the Maroochydore Chamber of Commerce.


Leeann Murphy, Special Counsel, Cooper Grace Ward
Leeann Murphy practices exclusively in family and relationship law and advises clients on both matrimonial and de facto property settlements. Her experience includes advising on alternative dispute resolution (including collaborative law), child-related matters, spousal maintenance and binding financial agreements. Leeann holds qualifications in Laws and International Business from Griffith University.