Date of Admission as a Barrister: 7 August 1998
 

Bachelor of Commerce/Laws:

 		 University of NSW
(Majoring in Accounting)
 
1984-1998
 		 Solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW
 
1998 Admitted to the NSW Bar

 
Areas of Practice at the Bar:
Barrister practising at Edmund Barton Chambers, principally in Family Law, De Facto Relationships Act matters and associated areas at First Instance and Appellate level. Some of my areas include, but are not limited to, complex property matters, pre-nuptial agreements and children’s matters (including Hague convention and relocation disputes). I am often engaged in dispute resolution, both formal and informal and mediations.

Recent Appellate Cases include:-
  Shaw (2008) FamCA 744
Children’s Case – stay pending appeal

Rodgers v Pizani (2007) FamCA 1510
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 Cases at Trial Level:
  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)
 


Practice as Solicitor:
1984-1998

Watkins Tapsell at Kirrawee

I became the Managing Solicitor of 8 Staff. My areas of practise included amongst others, Family Law, Construction, Personal Injury, Criminal Law and Advocacy.

Sporting Interests:

2005 Sailing Ocean
Racing:		 Sailed on Volvo 60’, “ABN AMRO” Hamilton Island Race week, CYC Winter Series,
Sydney-Hobart 7th on line Honours, 4th handicap
   
1987-1992 Competed in 3 Australian and 1 NZ Iron Man Events;
Sponsored by Forsters racing locally and internationally (finishing 3rd in Vanuatu Triathlon 1989).
Winner of Cootamundra Classic 100 mile Professional Cycling Race 1992
   
1978-1983 Played soccer semi-professional with Sutherland in NSW State League.
Trialled with Middlesborough FC and Bristol City paying at youth team level.