Blog

We are very proud to have sponsored the 20th National Family Law Conference in Perth last week! A total of 15 solicitors from our offices in Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne and Coffs Harbour attended the Conference, which was a great success. The conference is a gathering of judges, politicians, family lawyers...

What is meant to be the happiest time of your life can have unintended consequences for you. Not everyone who dies without a Will does so intentionally. Some people actually make the effort to set up a Will but then marry, not realising that marriage revokes the Will. There are...

It is not uncommon for parents to want to take their children on holidays overseas. Obviously, such holidays provide an opportunity for a child to be exposed to a different culture and a different way of life but most importantly, an opportunity to spend quality time together and have fun! During a relationship, arranging overseas travel is generally an exciting and uncomplicated issue. However, when parents have separated it can become extremely complicated and stressful.

We are excited to announce the appointment of Victoria (Tori) Kilby & Tim Gough to the FGD Directorship. Joining our current Directors Sarah & Frank in Melbourne, Tori & Tim bring a wealth of knowledge and experience and have an innovative approach to Family Law. Their combined leadership will ensure we continue to deliver exceptional results for our clients.

Family Law property orders can attract exemptions from stamp duty, Capital Gains Tax (CGT), and other taxes and duties, provided they are carefully drafted, satisfy the relevant taxation laws, and importantly, are strictly complied with. Failing to comply with the precise terms of the Family Law orders can result in...

Recently I saw numerous headlines pop up in my news feed about a new parenting case. Some headlines included "Birth mum loses to Sperm donor in landmark custody case", and "Sperm donor wins custody of child over birth mother in landmark case".

Binding Financial Agreements (colloquially known as “pre-nups”) have historically been used by older people who are entering into second or subsequent relationships and want to protect their wealth. They are becoming increasingly more common among younger people- particularly where one or both parties to a relationship have been gifted or...

Those who are considering challenging a will by making a family provision claim need to be aware that time limits apply within which their application must be made. Each State and Territory has its own legislation governing family provision claims. Some jurisdictions run the time from the date of death while others run the time from the date of the grant of probate or letters of administration.

In Australia, Binding Financial Agreements (BFAs), colloquially known as prenups, are becoming more common, particularly for people who are in a second de facto relationship or marriage and those receiving gifts from their parents to purchase a first home. Couples are far more likely to see eye-to-eye at the start...

Today, 28 May, is LGBTQ Domestic Violence Awareness Day. This is an initiative run by the LGBTQ Domestic Violence Awareness Foundation which is a national advocacy group in this space. Since earlier this year I have been assisting their board of directors as the ACT Coordinator. FGD was proud to host a morning tea to reflect on this day and show our support to the cause.

When FGD first started taking our staff to Bali in the late 90's we were a much smaller firm, around 15 people. Fast forward to Easter 2024 where 89 staff from across our 4 offices embarked on our biennial Bali conference to strengthen our professional relationships, exchange insights and rejuvenate our state of minds.

At FGD, we care about achieving the best outcomes for you in your family law matter, particularly when it comes to achieving a fair division of your shared assets and ensuring proper care arrangements for your children. We also care about ensuring that your intentions can persevere in the long-term in the event of your death, which may happen unexpectedly.