Presenters

Cathie Blanchfield, Principal, Blanchfield Nicholls Family & Private Advisory
Cathie Blanchfield has practised exclusively in family law and related areas since admission over 30 years ago. After some years in partnership with Stuart Fowler, in 2007 Cathie established Blanchfield Nicholls with Nigel Nicholls. Cathie has been named as a leading family lawyer in the Doyles Guide consistently since 2016, including in High Value and Complex Property Matters. She enjoys the challenges inherent in communicating sometimes difficult concepts in family law, and working to understand each client's particular needs and expectations while giving realistic advice. In 2025 Cathie’s long standing interest and expertise in drafting and advising clients in relation to financial agreements was recognized by her inclusion as one of 15 lawyers in the inaugural Doyle’s Guide list of leading pre-nuptial and financial agreement lawyers in Australia. Cathie has written and presented many papers on family law issues for members of the profession undertaking continuing legal education.

Adam Cooper, Principal, Cooper Family Law
Adam Cooper is the Principal of Cooper Family Law, now in its thirteenth year of operation. However, Adam is more commonly known for his ‘almost’ professional football career, and he continues to support our local football club as a proud sponsor of the Morningside Panthers. Prior to the beginning of Cooper Family Law, Adam was at the private bar, before taking on a special counsel role at Barry.Nilsson Lawyers. Adam also completed social science qualifications, which he believes has benefitted his practice in Family Law. Aside from Adam’s near successful law career, he enjoys travelling, and experiencing different foods, cultures and wines. Adam is also a regular on the conference circuit, having recently given papers on applications for leave under section 44, negotiating relocation cases, and managing clients with impaired capacity. Adam has advised the District Court of Mecklenburg, North Carolina about Australian superannuation splitting orders, a task not made easy by the Judge’s comments suggesting grave concerns regarding how far sunk in communism Australia had become.