Cover all the recent developments in property & financial matters in family law.  Examine the Family Law Amendment Bill & gain a valuable update on the treatment beneficiaries’ entitlements under trusts from learned counsel & review of addbacks, inheritance, & waste.  Hear how to deal with joinder issues of third parties & get your annual case update. Get your CPD points in areas that matter, including identifying tax issues, duty of disclosure & the problem of dealing with difficult clients.

Presenters

Mr. Gary Yan, Partner and Accredited Family Law Specialist, Coote Family Lawyers
He is consistently ranked by respected legal directory Doyle’s Guide as one of Victoria’s foremost practitioners; honoured for Family and Divorce law for the past four consecutive years, and Parenting & Children’s Matters for the past three. Gary previously worked with the Commissioner for Children in Tasmania, and abroad in the family law department of top-tier UK firm Manches LLP, now Penningtons Manches Cooper. Owing to his UK practice and experience of Asian jurisdictions, he has a specialist interest in the international elements of family law, regularly advising clients on financial and parenting matters involving other jurisdictions. His broad expertise also includes pre-nuptial agreements and same-sex relationships. Testament to his standing in the industry, together with Gillian Coote, Gary wrote the Australian chapter of International Relocation of Children: A Global Guide. He is a mentor to young lawyers with the Asian-Australian Lawyers Association and speaks Cantonese. For Mandarin speaking clients, we can arrange translator services on request. Gary has been a Law Institute Accredited Specialist in Family Law since 2013.


Ms. Olivia Grobtuch, Principal, Kennedy Partners Lawyers
Olivia Grobtuch is a founding partner of Kennedy Partners, one of Doyles Guide "top tier" Melbourne firms. She is a member of the Family Law Section of the Law Institute of Victoria and the Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia. Olivia has been practising in family law for over 30 years. She obtained her accreditation as a family law specialist in 1990 and has been a member of various committees of the Law Institute of Victoria including sub-committees dealing with family law reform. She has presented numerous papers relating to specialist family law topics and has regularly attended family law conferences in both the national and international arenas. She has been involved in a number of important matters in the High Court of Australia, and has also worked extensively on international family law matters, and is a fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers.


Ms. Emma Swart, Barrister & Mediator, Owen Dixon Chambers
Emma Swart practices predominantly in family law and appears regularly in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia and, occasionally, in the Family Court of Western Australia. She is a Nationally Accredited Mediator and Victorian Bar Advanced Mediator, and FDRP and Family Law Arbitrator. She joined the Victorian Bar in 1998 and this year celebrates 25 years as a barrister.


Ms. Pat Karnis, Barrister, Foley's List
Pat Karnis came to the Bar in 2010. Prior to this, Pat worked as a solicitor in a boutique family law firm. As a lawyer, Pat’s practice covered all aspects of family law, including matters for the welfare of children and the rights and responsibilities of parents. She has experience in handling a wide range of property & financial matters, children’s issues, divorce, intervention orders, family violence and mediation. As part of her practice Pat has participated in mediation and conciliation and has established a reputation for assisting clients to reach agreement in highly conflicted circumstances and for sound strategic advice. Pat has experience in family law advocacy having appeared in property & children’s matters, recovery proceedings, relocation proceedings, divorce proceedings, appeals and has been a nationally accredited mediator for 11 years.


Mr. Timothy J Puckey KC, Barrister, Dever’s List
Tim practises at the Bar in all aspects of Family and Relationship Law including Property and Financial, Parenting, Child Support and related matters. Tim is regularly briefed in complex financial disputes involving commercial, trust and equity issues and valuation disputes. He is a Nationally Accredited Mediator and Arbitrator.


Ms. Tineka Winter, Senior Associate, Tisher Liner FC Law
Tineka is an Accredited Specialist in family law. She holds a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts with Distinction from the University of Newcastle. After graduating from university, Tineka spent a year working for a commercial firm in London before working as an Associate for two years in the Federal Circuit Court of Australia. Tineka’s experience working in the Court allowed her to develop a deeper understanding of how Judges make decisions, which assists in giving considered and practical advice to clients. Tineka is motivated by a desire to assist in resolving matters and in helping her clients to navigate the challenges people face following the breakdown of relationships. Tineka assists in a wide range of family law issues including complex parenting disputes and property settlements following separation, as well as preparing financial agreements during relationships.


Ms. Justine Clark, Principal, Tisher Liner FC Law
Justine Clark is an experienced and formidable lawyer who has an extensive and precise understanding of family law. She is tremendously skilled in running complex family law matters in a strategic and commercially sensible manner. She has a deep and considered understanding of case law and legislation, and is an expert in the appellate jurisdiction. Justine’s particular areas of expertise include: - Complex property / high net worth matters - Property matters involving companies, trusts, SMSFs, businesses, taxation, disclosure and valuation issues - International property matters - International relocation (parenting) matters - Binding Financial Agreements - Child Support Agreements Justine's practice covers all manner of property settlements (modest to high net worth), parenting disputes, child support, financial agreements, de-facto and same-sex relationships / marriages, and advice in relation to parentage. Justine graduated from Griffith University with First Class Honours in Law and Arts (Politics) and the University Medal. Upon graduating, Justine was an Associate to Justice Hugh Fraser QC of Queensland's Court of Appeal, and then Legal Associate to the Honourable Peter Young QC of the Family Court of Australia. Justine is a member of the Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia, the Law Institute of Victoria (and is a member of the LIV Family Law Accreditation Committee, and the Property and Maintenance Committee), and the LGBT Family Law Institute. Since 2017 she has been a Law Institute of Victoria, Accredited Family Law Specialist.


Ms. Meredith Fuller OAM, Psychologist
Meredith Fuller OAM has worked for 40 years as a psychologist in private practice. She has extensive experience counselling legal professionals and consulting to legal firms. She has assisted lawyers with career change, returning to work following stress work cover, and dealing with complex client, collegial, and managerial relationships. Meredith has expertise in psychological type, has been a post-graduate psychology lecturer, and is a psychological commentator for the media. An author of many books, Meredith has recently created a free 150 page eBook with short videos and films for professionals, 'Understanding Family Violence' go to www.meredithfuller.com.au to download or pass on.


Ms. Natasha Mastroianni, Senior Associate, Sage Family Lawyers
Natasha is an Accredited Family Law Specialist and has practiced exclusively in family law since 2018. She also has a Masters in Applied Law (Family Law) from the College of Law. Upon commencing her legal career in 2014 at a generalist legal practice in the northern suburbs, Natasha practised in family law and intervention order matters as well as property law and other litigation matters. Having practical experience in other practice areas assists Natasha when these interrelated issues arise in her clients’ family law matters. Natasha prides herself on providing accurate, realistic, practical, and solution-focused advice to her clients, with empathy and compassion, whilst aiming to achieve the best possible results for her clients. She is a member of the Law Institute of Victoria (LIV). Natasha is the Chair of the LIV’s Family Law Section’s Courts Practice Committee and a member of the Family Law Section Executive Committee. She is also a member of the Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia and is the Secretary of the Northern Suburbs Law Association.


Mr. Kepler Ryan, Barrister, Foley’s List
Kepler accepts briefs to appear in and advise on all matters relating to family law and related jurisdictions. Since 2010, Kepler has worked exclusively in family law, focusing on matters with complex factual and legal elements. He became an LIV family law accredited specialist in 2018 and a qualified family law arbitrator in 2017. Before joining the Bar, Kepler was a senior associate at Lander & Rogers, where he acted in: property settlements involving significant business interests, corporate and real property valuation disputes, international property, third party interests, trusts, spousal maintenance and child support; parenting disputes involving serious allegations of violence, mental health concerns and relocation matters; and financial agreement negotiations. Following his admission, Kepler was a legal associate to the Honourable Justice Young AM, the Honourable Justice Bennett AO and the Honourable Justice Cronin at what is now called Division 1 of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. He has previously been the Chair of the LIV Family Law Section Education Working Group and a member of the LIV Family Law Section Executive Committee. Doyle’s Guide recognised Kepler as a family law ‘Rising Star’ in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. Kepler is reading with Daniel Sweeney and his senior mentor is Minal Vohra S.C.