Our annual family law conference (held on the Gold Coast in July every year) is one of our most popular conferences and that is why we are repeating this event in Melbourne in February 2023 for all those who couldn’t get to the Gold Coast. The last 12 months have been one of the most challenging times for family lawyers: fluctuating property values, coupled with the lingering effects of COVID-19, have coincided with the biggest overhaul in family law since 1975.

This year’s program covers a range of important and topical issues for family lawyers, including the impact of relationship status on judicial decision making, access and overnight stays in parenting arrangements, as well as counting the cost of family violence on property settlements. It also includes a deep dive into superannuation splitting, as well as challenging the experts in asset valuations. The conference also includes a presentation on each of the compulsory subjects: Ethics - Practice Management & Business Skills - Professional Skills.

Day 1 - Thursday 9 March 2023

Property and Financial Matters

• Big Money, Big Problems? The Family Court and the Top End of Town
• All’s Fair in Love and War, except when it comes to Binding Financial Agreements
• Counting the Cost of Family Violence on Property Settlements
• Same Same But Different? The impact of Relationship Status on Judicial Decision Making

Challenges in Parenting Matters

• The Long and Winding Road: Child Relocation and Travel
• Access and Overnight Stays in Parenting Arrangements - The Reforms in the Spotlight

Day 2 - Friday 10 March 2023

Litigation and Carving Up the Citadel

• Have Costs become the Weapon of Choice for the Courts?
• Super-Size Me: Superannuation Splitting and Family Law
• Factoring in Tax in Family Law Property Settlements

3 Compulsory CPD Topics

• Professional skills:  Appointing and Challenging the Experts in Family Law Asset Valuations
• Practice management & business skills:  Handling Volatile Clients in Family Law
• Ethics:  Negotiations and Determining When to Settle: Walking the Ethical Tightrope

The Honourable Nahum Mushin AM, Melbourne, Vic

John Spender, Principal, Accredited Family Law Specialist, Kennedy Partners, Melbourne, Vic

Wendy Kayler-Thomson, Partner, Accredited Family Law Specialist, Forte Family Lawyers, Melbourne, Vic

Adam Cooper, Principal, Cooper Family Law, Brisbane, Qld

Justine Woods, Partner, Accredited Family Law Specialist, Cooper Grace Ward Lawyers, Brisbane, Qld

Jacob Clancy, Senior Associate, Clancy & Triado, Melbourne, Vic

Evelyn Young, Partner, Accredited Family Law Specialist, Mitchell Family Law, Melbourne, Vic

Gerry Holmes, Barrister, Victorian Bar, Melbourne, Vic

Lino Marchetti, Barrister & Nationally Accredited Mediator, Owen Dixon Chambers East, Melbourne, Vic

Jacky Campbell, Partner, Accredited Family Law Specialist, Forte Family Lawyers, Melbourne, Vic

Briana Kotzapavlidis, Partner, Hargreaves Family Lawyers, Melbourne, Vic

Suzanne Delbridge, Director, Delbridge Forensic Accounting, Newcastle, NSW

Paul Fildes, Principal, Accredited Family Law Specialist, Taussig Cherrie Fildes Lawyers, Melbourne, Vic

Barry Berger, Director, Accredited Family Law Specialist, Dignity.EDR, Melbourne, Vic

• Lots of relevant and interesting talks, and very nice to be able to network with people face to face!
• Great relevant topics for the seminar sessions, beautiful venue & food. Really helpful staff.
• Run professionally. Speakers of high calibre and content always interesting and mostly very relevant

Lawyers (except WA):  10 CPD units for attending the conference including the 3 compulsory CPD units.

WA Lawyers:  6 CPD points (either all substantive law or 3 CPD compulsory units + 3 substantive law).  WA practitioners can claim 6 CPD points for attending the conference (being the maximum allowable per event).

All delegates attending the conference will receive a CPD Certificate confirming attendance.