From family violence reforms and restraining order developments to capacity issues and complex wealth structures, family law practitioners in Western Australia continue to navigate a rapidly evolving landscape. Join leading WA experts as they examine the latest cases, emerging trends and practical challenges. Gain valuable insights into the Family Court at 50, managing proceedings where a party loses capacity or dies and the unique property issues that arise when clients derive their wealth from WA's resources and agricgultural economy, including private service businesses, executive remuneration arrangements and family wealth structures.

Presenters

Catherine Leach, CEO, Leach Legal
Catherine Leach is the founder and CEO of Leach Legal and is listed in Doyle's Guide 2026 as a Leading High Value and Complex Property Family Lawyer in Western Australia.  Catherine specialises in acting for business owners in property settlements which commonly involve corporate structures, discretionary trusts and business valuations. Catherine commenced her articled clerkship in 1989 and was admitted in 1996, developing her complex property practice under the mentorship of the Honourable Peter Dowding SC. She became a partner of DCH Legal Group in 1998, co-founded Maughan & Leach, and established Leach Legal in 2004. She completed her Masters in Family Law in 2012 and has lectured for the College of Law. Catherine is a trained collaborative lawyer, mediator and arbitrator and a long-standing advocate of ADR. She was Deputy Chair of the Family Law Section National Conference held in Perth in 2024, is a member of the global Entrepreneurs' Organization, and is a regular commentator on family law and business in national media.

Karolina Rzymkowska, Legal Practitioner Director, Luna Legal Group
Karolina Rzymkowska (Kay) is the founding director of Luna Legal Group and a leading Perth lawyer in Wills, Estates, and Estate Litigation. With over 18 years’ experience, she helps clients with succession planning, estate disputes, and commercial matters. Kay is known for her warm, practical approach and ability to communicate complex legal issues in simple understandable terms. She also presents at industry events and is a qualified collaborative law practitioner. Kay has an ability to communicate complex legal issues.

Natalie Kam, Partner, HopgoodGanim Lawyers
Natalie is a family and relationship partner at Hopgoodganim Lawyers and an accredited family law specialist. Natalie has extensive experience in family law, representing clients both nationally and internationally. Natalie is experienced in complex property proceedings including financial tracing, corporate and trust structures, contested inheritances, valuation and business issues and acting on behalf of banks, liquidators, creditors and corporations. Her practice includes advice on proactive structuring to protect multigenerational family businesses and private wealth.  Natalie works within some of Australia’s most recognised private wealth teams, including family offices and MFOs. Natalie is a recognised industry leader in dealing with complex parenting cases and child related proceedings having represented clients in Australia and overseas, including in respect of applications to relocate overseas and international child abduction and recovery. Natalie is a qualified collaborative lawyer. Natalie is also trained in assisting clients encountering issues such as domestic and family violence and requiring assistance to obtain Family Violence Restraining Orders. Natalie was previously a key adviser to the Attorney General’s Family Relationship Advice Line and has assisted in the preparation of a number of submissions to government in the area of family law reform. Natalie is currently the Vice President of the Family Law Practitioners’ Association of Western Australia (FLPA) and Chair of FLPA’s Law Reform Subcommittee and is internationally recognised by Chambers & Partners as a leading private wealth adviser in the family law space.


Marty Kavanagh, Principal, Barrister & Solicitor, Kavanagh Lawyers
Marty Kavanagh is the Principal of Kavanagh Lawyers. Marty tutored in ethics at Curtin university for several years in the early 2000s. Marty has a particular interest in Restraining orders; adoption; surrogacy; parental rights and presumptions of parentage; and family law issues relating to the LGBTIQ+ community. From 2012 to 2017 Marty wrote the WA restraining orders commentary for Thompson Reuters. In 2018, Marty was one of the lawyers who assisted GayDads WA in their legal submissions to the government's review of the Surrogacy Act 2008. In 2022 Marty was appointed to the WA Health Minister’s Expert panel on the review of the Surrogacy and Human Reproductive Technology acts. Marty is also the Honorary Consul of Ireland to Western Australia. Just to prove that life isn’t always about backing winners, Marty is a keen Fremantle Dockers fan.


John Butler, Consultant and Notary Public, HopgoodGanim Lawyers
John is a Consultant & Notary Public in our Family & Relationship Law and Estate & Succession practice at HopgoodGanim Lawyers. With over 50 years of experience, John brings a wealth of knowledge and consistently achieves the best possible outcomes for his clients. John is experienced in Business & Estate Planning, Wills & Estates, Guardianship & Administration and Family Law. John is an active member of his community, having served in the Australian Army Reserve for 13 years as a Commissioned Officer, is presently on the Reserve of Officers and is an active member of the Rotary Club of Matilda Bay where he leads initiatives that promote humanitarian service, good will and peace worldwide.

Alan Moroni, former Senior Magistrate and Registrar, Family Court of WA