Date of Admission as a Barrister: 7 August 1998

Areas of Practice at the Bar:

Barrister practising principally in Family Law, De Facto Relationships Act matters and associated areas at trial and appellate level dealing with the following issues:

Property cases

• Property disputes regarding the assessment of contribution and adjustment under s 75(2) and 90SF(3) Family Law Act
• Issues in valuations of real estate
• Valuation of interests in companies and trusts
• Equitable interests including resulting and constructive trusts
• Single expert disputes
• Joinder of third parties
• Addbacks, wastage and Kowaliw issues
• Third party interests and disputes, accrued jurisdiction
• Disputes regarding subpoenas, discovery and disclosure
• Impact of gifts, inheritances and disputed third party debts.
• Complex trust and family arrangements.
• Urgent Mareva injunctions, Anton Piller orders.
• Enforceability of Financial agreements.
• Setting aside of Orders Financial agreements and Orders
• Creditor intervention in property disputes
• Property disputes involving trustees in bankruptcy
• Spousal Maintenance issues
• Child Support issues

Children’s cases

• Disputed parental responsibility, residence and contact issues
• Child at risk issues resulting from alcohol and substance abuse, mental health issues
• Contravention cases
• Overseas travel
• Relocation issues

Practice as Solicitor:

1984-1998

Watkins Tapsell at Kirrawee

Tertiary qualifications

Bachelor of Commerce (Major in accounting) and Law from University of NSW 1983.

 

Recent Appellate Cases include:-

 

 

Molloy & Molloy [2016] FamCAFC 264 (14 December 2016) (Application for reinstatement and costs application.)

Ainsley & Lake [2016] FamCAFC 253 (24 November 2016) (Application to extend time to file Notice of Appeal and costs application.)

Keynes & Keynes [2014] FamCAFC 169 (10 September 2014) (Application to extend leave to file on matters of significance.)

Mayne & Mayne (No. 2) [2012] FamCAFC 90 (19 June 2012) and Mayne & Mayne [2012] FamCAFC 56 (27 April 2012) (Appeal regarding inheritance and superannuation issues.)

Brennan & Shaw (Costs) [2010] FamCAFC 152 (20 August 2010) (Costs application.)

Shaw (2008) FamCA 744 (Children’s Case – stay pending appeal)

Rodgers v Pizani (2007) FamCA 151 (Security for costs on appeal)

O’Doherty (2006) FLC 93-256 (Superannuation splitting and property adjustment)

Mullen v De Bry (2006) FLC 93-293 (Review of Full Court decision in Waugh, Application of Mareva Injunction principles to Family Law)

CKT v SCT (2006) FamCA 403 (Appeal re shared time arrangement)

Jackson v Jackson (2000) NSWCA 303 (Property adjustment under De Facto Relationship Act (as it then was), claim for damages for assault in domestic situation)

 

Recent Trial Cases Family Law

 

Albers & Haymans (2018) FCCA 3672 (Parenting – interim orders – time with the father – alleged alcohol intake issues – risk issues – injunctive relief – overseas trip – costs)

Tassinari & Pesalaccio & Ors (2018) FamCA 12 (Anton Piller orders.)

Ashley & Ashley (2017) FamCA 997 (Property: Add backs, loan to party’s family, husband greater earning capacity. Adjustment under s 75(2). Wife to retain home.)

Molloy & Molloy [2016] FCCA 2400 (22 September 2016) (Property settlement where one party made significant contributions post-separation.)

Ping & Truang [2016] FamCA 614 (29 July 2016) (Costs application.)

Nghiem & Astey [2016] FamCA 458 (9 June 2016) (Property settlement.)

The Estate of the late Ms Fan & Lok [2015] FamCA 300 (28 April 2015) (Property settlement where financial agreement under s 90B of the Family Law Act 1975 existed.)

Wolter & Wolter (No. 2) [2014] FamCA 485 (2 July 2014) (Contravention application.)

Johnson & Johnson [2014] FCCA 734 (17 April 2014) (Parenting and property settlement.)

Hagi & Hagi [2013] FamCA 733 (20 September 2013) (Hague Convention and DFAT travel warning)

Blake & Walker [2013] FCCA 1039 (18 July 2013) (Interim property settlement regarding lottery win.)

Teasdales & Teasdales [2013] FCCA 429 (27 June 2013) (Property settlement.)

Yellin & Temple [2013] FCCA 360 (30 May 2013) (Property settlement in context of long term marriage and post-separation contributions.)

Kavan & Mallery & Anor [2013] FCCA 210 (10 May 2013) (Equitable estoppel in context of de facto relationship breakdown.)

Alexiou & Alexiou [2012] FamCA 1146 (14 December 2012) (Notional assets and add-backs.)

Biddell & Ervin [2012] FMCAfam 926 (5 September 2012) (Contravention of parenting orders.)

Langan & Thurston [2012] FMCAfam 345 (24 April 2012) (Variation of parenting orders.)

Callet & Bellanda [2011] FamCA 879 (18 November 2011) (Parental responsibility.)

McIllroy & McIllry [2011] FamCA 506 (1 July 2011) (Assessment of post separation contributions.)

Wu & Heaton-Wu [2011] FMCAfam 144 (19 April 2011) (Just and equitable spousal maintenance.)

Hiroma and Anor & Hiroma and Anor [2011] FamCA 75 (21 February 2011) (Parental responsibility and time with grandparents.)

Langan & Thurston [2010] FMCAfam 781 (23 July 2010) (Admissibility of expert evidence.)

Zheng & Tram & Ors [2010] FMCAfam 698 (8 June 2010) (Mareva Injunction.)

Deveraux & Deveraux [2009] FamCA 1363 (24 December 2009) (Property settlement.)

Mayne & Mayne (No.2) [2009] FMCAfam 910 (4 September 2009) (Costs.)

O’Hara & O’Hara and Ors [2009] FamCA 581 (6 July 2009) (Costs.)

Silas & Barry [2009] FMCAfam 448 (8 May 2009) (Unilateral relocation by mother, return of children, change of name of children.)

Kouros & Kouros [2009] FMCAfam 242 (20 March 2009) (Property, whether leave should be added to property pool, contributions)

Simpson & Simpson [2009] FamCA 100 (18 February 2009) (Children’s issues regarding attitude towards mother, property issues regarding contributions, worker’s compensation and capacity for work.)

Vadisanis v Vadisanis (2009) FamCA 121 (Children’s Shared Time Arrangements)

Simpson v Simpson (2009) FamCA 100 (Property division, add back for legal costs, husband’s capacity for work)

Hiroma v Hiroma (2008) FamCA 901 (legal practitioner’s withdrawal from case alleged conflict of interest)

Weldon v Sulter (2008) FamCA 459 (Children’s case, residency, splitting of children)

Woods v Woods (2008) FamCA 65 (Children’s case – Hague Convention)

O’Hara v O’Hara (2008) FamCA 189 (Alteration of property interests, deliberate non-disclosure, accrued jurisdiction, resulting trust, presumption of advancements, constructive trust, equitable estoppel, equitable charge and contribution.)

Merrill v Jeffreys (2007) FamCA 197 (alleged disclosures of abuse)

Lay v Isbister (2007) FamCA 46 (issues re parental responsibility)

Haddoc v Haddoc (2007) FamCA 747 (property settlement, inheritance, non-disclosure)

Mullen v De Bry (2007) FMCA (subpoena, abuse of process, claim of client legal privilege, stay pending appeal)

Y v Y (2007) FMCA 76 (property matter, valuation of financial resource, non-disclosure, future need)

Mano v Trenoski (2007) FMCFam 675 (property matter, debts not included in property pool)

Serifovic (2006) FMCA 420 (property settlement, losses from failed litigation, add back of debts re litigation)

KEK v BK (2005) FMCAFam 250 (adult child maintenance, child with disabilities, tertiary education, course of study, child support departure application)

RB v TB (2004) FMCAFam (property, parties conspired to defaud Centrelink, Centrelink debt, joint matrimonial property, funds drawn from mortgage after separation)