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Family Law Parenting Symposium

Gain valuable insights into key topics shaping family law parenting matters. Examine recent reforms one year on with a focus on safety and Rice & Asplund codification, unpack the complexities and risks of Parental Alienation and assess the impact of new amendments to the Hague Child Abduction Convention regulations. Gain valuable insights from the latest case updates and understand the influence of parental mental health on parenting capacity from an adolescent and family Psychiatrist. Finally, tailored for family law practitioners, gain essential practical guidance on managing urgent parental applications, meeting ethical obligations in family law parenting matters, and tips for sustaining a thriving family law practice and cover off your ethics, professional skills and practice management.

Wednesday, 26 March 2025
Session 1: Reforms, Amendments & Case Update, Alienation and Capacity

Chair: Beth Jarman, Special Counsel, Mills Oakley

9.45am to 10.30am New Reforms ‘One Year On’: Safety and Codification of Rice & Asplund

 

  • Interpretation of the ‘Best Interests’ test
  • Statutory iteration of the Rice vs Aspland principle vs how it’s being interpreted by the courts: Whitehill & Talaska; Rasheem & Rasheem
  • The Role of the Independent Children’s Lawyer in light of the recent changes to the Family Law Act 

Presented by Karen Shea, Barrister, Frederick Jordan Chambers; Leading Junior Counsel, Parenting & Children’s Matters Barrister, Doyle’s Guide 2024 

10.30am to 10.45am Morning Tea
11.30am to 12.15pm Recent Case Update

 

Gain that all-important annual case update, highlighting recent trends and practical take aways from recent cases in several important areas of disputes in family law practice, such as:

  • How is the Court approaching coercive control?
  • Harmful proceedings: the new vexatious
  • Insight – what does it look like? 

Presented by Kylie Chesterman, Barrister, Level 14 Inns of Court Chambers; Recommended Family Law Junior Counsel, Doyle’s Guide 2024

Session 2: Ethics, Professional Skills & Practice Management For Family Lawyers On Parenting

Chair: Susan Warda, Partner, Mills Oakley; Recommended Family & Divorce Lawyer and Recommended Family Lawyers (High-Value & Complex Property Matters), Doyle’s Guide 2024

Ethics & Professional Responsibility
3.00pm to 4.00pm Navigating Ethical Obligations in Family Law Parenting Matters

 

  • Refresher on obligations pursuant to the Solicitors Conduct Rules and Family Law Rules
  • Communicating with clients, experts, Court, third parties
  • Conflicts
  • Disclosure
  • Secret recordings
  • When clients go rogue including dealing with illegally obtained ‘evidence’ 

Presented by Tijana Petkovic, Director, Blanchfield Nicholls

4.00pm to 4.15pm Afternoon Tea
Practice Management & Business Skills
4.15pm to 5.15pm Dealing with the Practical Impacts of Running a Busy Family Law Parenting Practice

 

  • Managing escalating practice costs and client expectations
  • Managing lawyer burnout and mental health
  • Knowing when and how to draw boundaries with clients
  • Family Law violence
  • Court delays and deadlines 

Presented by Kuppy Nambiar, Director, Nambiar Hogg Family Lawyers; Recommended Parenting & Children’s Matters Lawyer, Doyle’s Guide 2024

Description

Attend and earn 7 CPD units including: 
3 units in Substantive Law 
1 unit in Ethics & Professional Responsibility 
1 unit in Practice Management & Business Skills 
2 units in Professional Skills 
This program is applicable to practitioners from all States & Territories

9.00am to 9.45am Parental Alienation: What is it? Does it Represent an Unacceptable Risk

 

  • How to deal with the situation when there was abuse
  • How to deal with the situation when no abuse but the child is told that there is 

Presented by Neil Jackson, Barrister, Frederick Jordan Chambers

10.45am to 11.30am Will the Amendments to the Regulations Regarding the Hague Child Abduction Convention Make Any Difference?

 

  • The provision of free legal representation for the ‘abducting parent’
  • The requirement to consider ‘family violence’ in any defence to a Return Application
  • Recent court decisions since the amendments 

Presented by Maurice Edwards, Special Counsel, Rafton Family Lawyers; Recommended Family Law Mediator, Doyle’s Guide 2024

Professional Skills
12.15pm to 1.15pm The Interface Between Parental Mental Health Issues and Parenting Capacity

 

Gain insights into the relevance of diagnosis to functional impairment. 

  • Consider the impact of developmental experiences in parent’s family of origin and personality vulnerabilities on parenting capacity independent of diagnosis
  • Diagnostic categories, and the place of therapeutic intervention
  • Considered in this context the impact of parental mental illness on parenting capacity 

Presented by Dr Antony Milch, Child, Adolescent and Family Psychiatrist, Family in Mind  

Professional Skills
2.00pm to 3.00pm Running Urgent Parenting Applications

 

  • Factors that may make a parenting application urgent
  • Pre-action procedures
  • To serve or not
  • Convincing the court
  • Managing client expectations 

Presented by Dianne Pendergast, Barrister, Brisbane Chambers; Recommended Parenting & Children’s Matters Junior Barrister, and Recommended Family Law Counsel, Doyle’s Guide 2024 

Presenters

Beth Jarman, Special Counsel, Mills Oakley
Beth is a Special Counsel in the Sydney Family Law practice of Mills Oakley, having joined the firm in January 2014. Beth has practised exclusively in Family Law for approximately 29 years. Beth has been an Accredited Specialist in Family Law since 2001 and acted as Deputy Registrar of the Family and Federal Magistrates Court in 2004. Beth has extensive experience across the range of all Family Law matters. Prior to commencing work with Mills Oakley Beth worked for the Legal Aid Commission of NSW from 1994-2013. Beth has acted as an ICL from 1996 to approximately 2018. Beth is trained in Collaborative Practice.

Maurice Edwards, Special Counsel, Rafton Family Lawyers
Maurice Edwards is an Accredited Family Law Specialist (NSW Law Society) a Registered Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner (FDRP), a Nationally Accredited Mediator (NMAS) and an Accredited Family Law Arbitrator (AIFLAM) and a Collaborative Family Lawyer. Maurice has recently been elected as the NSW representative to the board of the Australian Institute of Family Law Arbitrators and Mediators (AIFLAM). As the RAMP leader he heads a team of mediators, arbitrators, FDRP’s and parenting coordinators and conflict coaches dedicated to providing easy access to a family law resolution. Maurice has a special interest and has presented at seminars and conferences on the Hague Child Abduction and Child Protection Conventions, Binding Financial Agreements, Childhood Gender Dysphoria and on various forms of dispute resolution including collaborative law, mediation and arbitration. He has been working in the family law space for over 40 years.

Kylie Chesterman, Barrister, Level 14 Inns of Court Chambers
Kylie was called to the Bar in 2016, having been admitted as a legal practitioner in 2011. She maintains a practice predominantly in family law, criminal law and domestic violence. Prior to commencing at the private Bar, Kylie worked in a boutique family law firm and as a Legal Officer at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. Kylie was also a Legal Associate in the Queensland Court of Appeal to the Honourable Robert Gotterson AO and in the District Court to Sarah Bradley AO. Kylie holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and a Bachelor of Psychological Science from Griffith University. Kylie has a keen interest in complex financial matters as well as parentage disputes in de facto relationships. She was involved in the case of Clarence & Crisp [2016] FamCAFC 157 as both a solicitor (at the trial) and then junior counsel in the appeal.

Dianne Pendergast, Barrister, Brisbane Chambers
Dianne Pendergast was admitted to practice law in 1986. Since then she has practiced predominantly in family law, wills and estates, child protection and domestic violence. Dianne was a partner in a boutique practice until 1992, when she was appointed as a registrar of the Family Court where she worked as a mediator, conciliator and conducted interim hearings for the next 14 years. In 2006 Dianne was appointed to the statutory position of Adult Guardian (Qld.). Dianne has practiced as a barrister for the last 13 years.

Tijana Petkovic, Director, Blanchfield Nicholls
Tijana has worked exclusively in family law since her admission over 15 years ago. She has experience in a variety of parenting and property matters, including acting in matters with significant asset pools, complex business structures, spousal maintenance claims, child abuse and child sexual abuse matters, overseas relocation and matters pursuant to The Hague Child Abduction Convention. Tijana has special expertise in family law matters with international elements including matters where jurisdiction is in dispute, assets are held across other jurisdictions and where a parent wants to relocate with the child overseas. Tijana is the current President of the City of Sydney Law Society, which represents more than 13,000 solicitors practising in the Sydney CBD region. Tijana is a member of the Family Law Section of The Law Council of Australia, Central Sydney Collaborative Forum, Collaborative Professionals of NSW, Australian Association of Collaborative Professionals and the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals. Tijana is an occasional guest lecturer at the University of Technology, Sydney, lecturing in the family law undergraduate program and juris doctor program. Tijana regularly presents papers to members of the legal profession, as well as other professionals, on family law issues. Tijana has been recognised as a ‘Recommended Parenting & Children’s Matters Lawyer NSW 2025′ and prior to that a ‘Family Law Rising Star NSW 2018’ by the independently researched and peer nominated Doyles Guide. Tijana joined Blanchfield Nicholls in 2014 and was appointed a Director in July 2016.

Kuppy Nambiar, Director, Nambiar Hogg Family Lawyers
Kuppy Nambiar is a founder and director of Nambiar Hogg Family Lawyers established in 2022. Having worked in a number of leading specialist Family Law firms, she has over 30 years of experience in Family Law. Kuppy attained Specialist Accreditation in Family Law in 2001. She is known for her firm but fair approach in providing practical advice with empathy, care and humour. Kuppy is committed to professional development and education. She frequently presents at conferences and seminars for other Family Lawyers, and for many years has been an instructor at Leo Cussen Centre for Law in Family Law and Ethics. Kuppy has volunteered at several community centres including Prahran Legal Service. Kuppy is regularly recognised in Doyle's Guide including as a Recommended Family Lawyer and Recommended Parenting Lawyer. Nambiar Hogg Family Lawyers is also recognised in Doyle’s Guide as a Recommended Family and Divorce Law firm. 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.

Neil Jackson, Barrister, Frederick Jordan Chambers
Neil Jackson holds a Bachelor of Law and Bachelor of Economics from Sydney University (both obtained in 1986), and a Master of Law from the University of New South Wales (obtained in 1996, majoring in a family law related subjects). He practised as a solicitor in Sydney from July 1986, largely specialising in personal injury litigation, family law and de facto relationships law, before being called to the New South Wales Bar in February 1997. From 1998 he was the National Editor of the CCH De Facto Relationships Service. As a solicitor, he was a member of the New South Wales Law Society Family Law Committee and the Committee of Family Law through the City of Sydney Regional Law Society. Further, he was part of the Sydney Registry of the Family Court of Australia's Duty Solicitor Scheme. He is also an accredited specialist through the Law Society of New South Wales in both family law and personal injury. Currently he practises as a barrister, exclusively in family law and de facto relationships law, at Frederick Jordan Chambers, Sydney. Neil Jackson is also a member of the Conciliators and Arbitrators Association, the Australian Association of Family Lawyers and Conciliators, and the Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia. Further, he is currently on the Legal Aid Committee of the Bar Association of New South Wales. Currently he is a Board Director of 3 Bridges. 3 Bridges is a community based organisation which develops and provides a range of community and welfare services in the St George and Sutherland Districts. Neil Jackson is presently an Arbitrator of the Local Court of New South Wales.

Karen Shea, Barrister, Frederick Jordan Chambers
Karen specialises in family law and children’s care and protection. Prior to coming to the Bar, Karen practiced as a family law solicitor for 18 years. Karen was a Family Law Advocate at Legal Aid NSW from 2009 to 2018. She has extensive experience in appearing for parties and children’s representatives in the Federal Circuit & Family Court of Australia, the Children’s Court and District Court. She also has experience in adoption proceedings and complex matters involving children in the parens patriae jurisdiction of the Supreme Court. In addition to her practice, Karen co-teaches Family Law Advocacy & Practice and Children & the Law at the University of NSW. Karen is named on the Doyles list of Leading Family Law Junior Counsel (NSW) 2025 and Leading Parenting & Children’s Matters Barristers (NSW) 2025.

Dr Antony Milch, Child, Adolescent and Family Psychiatrist, Family in Mind
Dr Antony Milch has established a career as one of Sydney’s leading child adolescent and family psychiatrists. Over the past 30 years he has worked extensively with children, adolescents and their families in both private and public settings on the Lower North Shore and Northern Beaches. Dr Milch has contributed to programs for adolescent mental health at The Black Dog Institute. Dr Milch regularly lectures and presents at conferences. He is a contributing author to the Practitioner’s Guide to Psychoactive Drugs for Children and Adolescents. He is the former chair of the NSW Department of Health stimulants subcommittee and the Northside Cremorne Clinic medical advisory committee. He has participated as a facilitator for The Black Dog Institute’s Troubled Teens program, where he has been running a workshops for GPs. Dr Milch is available for clinical assessments and therapeutic intervention. Here, he practices a bio-psychosocial approach within a systemic framework. Dr Milch has developed a special interest in medico-legal assessments. He is a respected expert in the Family Court of Australia and in other jurisdictions relating to child and family issues.

Susan Warda, Partner, Mills Oakley
Susan Warda is a Partner with national law firm Mills Oakley, an Accredited Specialist in Family Law, a Collaborative Lawyer, and a trained Parenting Coordinator. With extensive expertise in family law matters that involve complex financial issues, including property settlements dealing with family businesses, multiple assets, and superannuation splitting, she is highly regarded for both her knowledge and her professional approach. As an experienced mediator and trained collaborative law practitioner, Susan brings a wealth of experience working alongside other professionals to resolve clients’ disputes outside the Court system. Susan has played a pioneering role in the development of collaborative practice in Australia and is an advocate for alternative dispute resolution. As well as property and financial issues, Susan also acts for parents in a wide range of parenting disputes including Hague Convention Applications for international child abduction and complex matters concerning parenting arrangements. Susan is a fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL) and her achievements have seen her named again by Best Lawyers Australia Family Law 2024 as well as a Leading Family & Divorce Lawyer Sydney and a Leading Family Lawyer High Value & Complex Property Matters in the Doyle’s 2023 Guide. An active member of the profession and the community, Susan holds Board positions with the Australian Association of Collaborative Professionals and Variety the Children’s Charity Asia Pacific.




This seminar is part of a series

Ethics, Professional Skills & Practice Management For Family Lawyers On Parenting

Wednesday, 26 March 2025

Gain insights into the latest trends in family law parenting matters, including child safety, parental alienation, and Hague Child Abduction updates. Learn about the role of parental mental health, urgent applications, ethical obligations, and best practices for managing a family law practice. 

Professional Skills
2.00pm to 3.00pm Running Urgent Parenting Applications

 

  • Factors that may make a parenting application urgent
  • Pre-action procedures
  • To serve or not
  • Convincing the court
  • Managing client expectations 

Presented by Dianne Pendergast, Barrister, Brisbane Chambers; Recommended Parenting & Children’s Matters Junior Barrister, and Recommended Family Law Counsel, Doyle’s Guide 2024 

Ethics & Professional Responsibility
3.00pm to 4.00pm Navigating Ethical Obligations in Family Law Parenting Matters

 

  • Refresher on obligations pursuant to the Solicitors Conduct Rules and Family Law Rules
  • Communicating with clients, experts, Court, third parties
  • Conflicts
  • Disclosure
  • Secret recordings
  • When clients go rogue including dealing with illegally obtained ‘evidence’ 

Presented by Tijana Petkovic, Director, Blanchfield Nicholls

4.00pm to 4.15pm Afternoon Tea
Practice Management & Business Skills
4.15pm to 5.15pm Dealing with the Practical Impacts of Running a Busy Family Law Parenting Practice

 

  • Managing escalating practice costs and client expectations
  • Managing lawyer burnout and mental health
  • Knowing when and how to draw boundaries with clients
  • Family Law violence
  • Court delays and deadlines 

Presented by Kuppy Nambiar, Director, Nambiar Hogg Family Lawyers; Recommended Parenting & Children’s Matters Lawyer, Doyle’s Guide 2024

Description

Attend and earn 3 CPD units including: 
1 unit in Ethics & Professional Responsibility 
1 unit in Practice Management & Business Skills 
1 unit in Professional Skills 
This program is applicable to practitioners from all States & Territories

Chair

Susan Warda, Partner, Mills Oakley; Recommended Family & Divorce Lawyer and Recommended Family Lawyers (High-Value & Complex Property Matters), Doyle’s Guide 2024

 

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Family Law Parenting Symposium

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All Sessions
Wednesday, 26 March 2025
9.00am to 5.15pm Australia/Sydney
CPD Points 7
$795.00
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Morning Session
Wednesday, 26 March 2025
9.00am to 1.15pm Australia/Sydney
CPD Points 4
$505.00
Online 20260512 20250326

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Afternoon Session
Wednesday, 26 March 2025
2.00pm to 5.15pm Australia/Sydney
CPD Points 3
$420.00
Online 20260512 20250326

Online

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On Demand 20260512 20250326

On Demand

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Gain insights into the latest trends in family law parenting matters, including child safety, parental alienation, and Hague Child Abduction updates. Learn about the role of parental mental health, urgent applications, ethical obligations, and best practices for managing a family law practice. 

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Gain insights into the latest trends in family law parenting matters, including child safety, parental alienation, and Hague Child Abduction updates. Learn about the role of parental mental health, urgent applications, ethical obligations, and best practices for managing a family law practice. 

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Gain insights into the latest trends in family law parenting matters, including child safety, parental alienation, and Hague Child Abduction updates. Learn about the role of parental mental health, urgent applications, ethical obligations, and best practices for managing a family law practice. 

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Gain insights into the latest trends in family law parenting matters, including child safety, parental alienation, and Hague Child Abduction updates. Learn about the role of parental mental health, urgent applications, ethical obligations, and best practices for managing a family law practice. 

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