Gain insights and practical guidance from a stellar line-up of leading family law practitioners to ensure you’re up to date on the latest cases and strategies on everything in relation to assessing contributions, distributions, waste, and add-backs when determining the financial property settlement. Plus, explore how to deal with third party claims in family law proceedings and learn what to do when insolvency cross over into your family law matter.

Presenters

John Butler, Special Counsel/Director, Butlers Lawyers & Notaries
John Butler has worked in the law for more than 55 years. He is a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Western Australia, a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory, and on the Roll of Legal Practitioners for the High Court of Australia. In addition to Western Australia, John has practised in New South Wales and the ACT. He has been a partner in a national legal firm and has twice established his own practice. John is currently the Principal of Butlers, Lawyers & Notaries, based in Nedlands. The majority of John's practice is in the areas of Family Law, Business Planning, Wills & Estate Planning, Claims on Estates, Guardianship & Administration and Elder Law. John has been involved with government and independent schools for over 40 years, including serving on the governing bodies of several independent schools over that period. John holds a Commission in the Australian Army and is on the Reserve of Officers. John is also an active member of the Rotary Club of Matilda Bay.


Natalie Kam, Partner, McDonald Jackson
Natalie is the lead partner in the Jackson McDonald family law team. Natalie is an accredited family law specialist with extensive experience in family law, representing clients in family and relationship law 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 businesses and wealth and sits amongst one of Western Australia’s most preeminent private wealth teams. 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. She is experienced at mediation and 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. Natalie currently sits on the Law Society’s Accreditation Committee.


Elizabeth Needham, Barrister, Francis Burt Chambers
Elizabeth Needham is currently Senior Vice-President of the Law Society. She elected to go to the Bar in 2007 and has since then practised predominantly in Family Law, crime and human rights. Between 2003 and 2007 Elizabeth Needham worked as a Principal Legal Officer at the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, having carriage of, and appearing in the prosecution of, complex frauds, commercial matters and appeals. From 1999 to 2003 Elizabeth was the Director of Prosecution and Legal Services at the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection and in that role undertook the more complex counsel work including appeals, criminal matters and civil litigation, as well as many administrative law matters. Elizabeth is a former lecturer in the Law, Justice Studies and Legal Studies programmes at Edith Cowan University, and whilst there also performed consultancy work for Legal Aid, predominantly in the areas of employment law and human rights. Elizabeth Needham worked as Associate to Justices Prior and Zelling in the Supreme Court of South Australia, and took on criminal defence work before moving to Perth n 1994 to head up a human rights unit at Sussex Street Community Legal Service Inc. In this role she was counsel in many human rights and administrative law matters including a number of representative actions before the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, the Equal Opportunity Commission of WA and various WA Departmental inquiries.


Framy Anne Browne, Partner, Lavan
Framy Anne Browne provides expert advice in the areas of divorce, property settlements, child related matters, spousal maintenance and dispute resolution. Framy is the lead partner of the Lavan's Family Law team and has extensive experience with matters of considerable commercial and factual complexity, including matters involving complex financial arrangements involving companies, trusts, and assets overseas. Framy has represented clients in matters involving international jurisdiction.. Framy also has extensive experience in child related matters and has represented clients living in Australia and overseas in matters involving international law and relocation. Prior to joining Lavan, Framy was a partner at Paterson & Dowding Family Lawyers where she worked for six years. Prior to making the move to Perth in 2009, Framy was at Watts McCray Family Lawyers in Sydney. Framy has been recognised by the Doyles Guide for Australian Best Lawyers, in the 2015 and 2016 listing of Rising Stars in Australian Family Law. Framy was first admitted as a lawyer in 2005 in the Supreme Court of New South Wales. Framy has also been admitted in the High Court of Australia and in the Supreme Court of Western Australia. Since her admission in 2005, Framy has practised exclusively in the area of family law and holds a Master of Applied Law (Family Law).


Jorja Brady, Partner, Lavan
Jorja specialises in the management of complicated financial and parenting matters in the Family Court with a particular interest in financial cases involving substantial asset pools, including matters with complex company, trust, partnership, and valuation issues. Many of these cases have an international element to them or taxation and accounting aspects. Jorja has a particular interest in cases involving the preparation of or setting aside of financial and child support agreements, sham transactions, trusts and equitable remedies, corporations’ law and matters involving third parties. Jorja also maintains a specialised practice associated with difficult parenting cases, particularly parentage disputes, the relocation of children and cases with an international aspect, including Hague Convention abduction cases.


Jeff Malone, Partner, Blackwall Legal
Jeffrey is a Partner at Blackwall Legal who specialises in insolvency, reconstruction and disputes. He has extensive experience in advising on the successful restructure of companies in financial distress. He regularly advises businesses and insolvency practitioners on issues including claims pursuant to the Corporations Act including claims relating to insolvent trading, breaches of directors’ duties and unfair preferences, various issues under the Personal Property Securities Act and a range of disputes including director and shareholder disputes, contractual disputes, negligence and misleading or deceptive conduct. Jeffrey has recently advised on a number of successful restructurings including, acting for the administrators of a distressed oil and gas marine logistics company, with $65m of debt and over 200 employees, resulting in a successful restructuring by way of a deed of company arrangement and advising the administrators of a substantial property developer with over $100m of debt, resulting in a successful restructuring following contested hearings in the Supreme Court of Western Australia. Jeffrey is a member of the Law Society of Western Australia and Turnaround Management Association.


Caris Tysoe, Special Counsel, Jackson McDonald
Caris is a Special Counsel in the Jackson McDonald Family Law team. Caris is an experienced and compassionate family lawyer who is dedicated to helping her clients successfully navigate their legal issues, from straightforward agreements to complex Family Court proceedings. Caris is experienced in a wide range of family law issues, including property settlement including international and interstate assets, corporations, trusts and taxation issues, marriage, divorce and de facto relationships, parenting arrangements, child support and maintenance issues, asset protection and Financial Agreements, adoption and bankruptcy and liquidation in connection with Family Court proceedings. Caris has experience appearing in the Family Court of Western Australia and also the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. She has experience as counsel at all manner of hearings including trial hearings. Caris is also skilled in negotiation and mediation processes. She has assisted clients in Australia and overseas to achieve the best possible outcome, whether that lies through collaboration and reaching an agreement, or through litigation. In addition to her knowledge and experience with the law itself, Caris is passionate about assisting clients to understand every step of their legal matters, and is able to break down complex legal concepts and explain them in a way that provides clarity and certainty on how best to move forward. Caris works to be available to answer questions, and keeps her clients informed and confident throughout the progress of their matter.