You may have heard that the laws around parenting cases in Australia have changed from 6 May 2024.

In this episode Monica Blizzard and Greg Oliver (from KHQ Lawyers’ Family & Relationship Law team) talk about the changes to the legal framework in parenting cases brought about by the Family Law Amendment Act 2023.  Monica and Greg summarise the changes and share their views as to how these changes will impact current parenting cases generally. 

For further information please visit our website.

When contemplating separation, when is the best time to engage a family lawyer?

In this episode, Monica and Blizzard and Greg Oliver (from KHQ Lawyers' Family & Relationship Law team) talk about what to expect when you first meet with a family lawyer. What is the lawyer's role? What information will be needed? 

Monica and Greg also provide a basic overview of considerations to be aware of, including safety planning for family violence, and interim parenting and financial arrangements.

For further information, please visit our website.

What are the unique features of a family law separation with the older members of our community? In our latest Talking Families podcast, Monica Blizzard, Greg Oliver and Winning Wang discuss some family law cases, different approaches to be considered and tips and traps, including aspects to be considered in financial agreements.

Monica Blizzard leads the KHQ Lawyers Family & Relationship law team and is an Accredited Specialist in family law (Law Institute of Victoria). She has more than 20 years' experience as a family lawyer, and is known for her compassion and dedication to helping those going through separation and divorce, and also helping those escaping family violence. She also specialises in Reproductive Law and Surrogacy.

Greg Oliver has been practicing law for two decades. He has a background in general practice and in recent times has focused exclusively on family law. He is an Accredited Family Law Specialist. Greg focuses on setting realistic expectations and guiding clients through the often misunderstood and dynamic landscape of separation. Greg enjoys meeting clients and learning about their lives and their achievements in often adverse circumstances. He believes it is a privilege to assist people to grow as they transition to new phases in their lives.

Winning Wang has practised family law consistently since 2010. Winning is experienced in all aspects of family law disputes including complex property settlements, financial agreements, the involvement of third parties, high conflict parenting disputes and family violence intervention orders.

Monica Blizzard, Greg Oliver and Stefan Pantellis discuss potential issues regarding the proposal to vaccinate children aged 12 and above with the Pfizer vaccine.  We also discuss the approach typically taken by the Family Court when parties cannot agree to vaccinate or immunise their child, and some recent cases dealing with this issue.

Monica Blizzard leads the KHQ Lawyers Family & Relationship law team and is an Accredited Specialist in family law (Law Institute of Victoria). She has more than 20 years' experience as a family lawyer, and is known for her compassion and dedication to helping those going through separation and divorce, and also helping those escaping family violence. She also specialises in Reproductive Law and Surrogacy.

Greg Oliver has been practicing law for two decades. He has a background in general practice and in recent times has focused exclusively on family law. He is an Accredited Family Law Specialist. Greg focuses on setting realistic expectations and guiding clients through the often misunderstood and dynamic landscape of separation. Greg enjoys meeting clients and learning about their lives and their achievements in often adverse circumstances. He believes it is a privilege to assist people to grow as they transition to new phases in their lives.

Stefan Pantellis has practised exclusively in family law since his admission to legal practice in 2017. Prior to his admission, he worked in family law and family violence prevention in both private practice and the community sector in legal support roles. Stefan is passionate about delivering high quality legal services and achieving practical outcomes for his clients. He is particularly interested in LGBTIQ family law issues including adoption, surrogacy and donor agreement matters. Stefan also has a keen interest in international family law matters and has experience in both Hague and non-Hague Convention child abduction matters.

When Hannah Clarke and her children were doused in petrol and set alight on a Brisbane street in February 2020, less than a year after dentist Dr Preethi Reddy had been stabbed to death in a Sydney hotel room, the Australian public was horrified. Each crime was a seemingly-out of nowhere physical attack committed by the victim’s ex-partner that followed years of non-physical abuse. Each crime was committed by a man who was, to many, not known to be violent. The crimes served as testament to a conclusion family violence experts had known for years: it is the amount of control a perpetrator has over a victim, rather than acts of physical violence, that is the most reliable indicator of homicide risk. 

In this episode, Monica Blizzard, Greg Oliver and Stefan Pantellis discuss issues around family violence and the potential criminalisation of coercive control.

Monica Blizzard leads the KHQ Lawyers Family & Relationship law team and is an Accredited Specialist in family law (Law Institute of Victoria). She has more than 20 years' experience as a family lawyer, and is known for her compassion and dedication to helping those going through separation and divorce, and also helping those escaping family violence. She also specialises in Reproductive Law and Surrogacy.

Greg Oliver has been practicing law for two decades. He has a background in general practice and in recent times has focused exclusively on family law. He is an Accredited Family Law Specialist. Greg focuses on setting realistic expectations and guiding clients through the often misunderstood and dynamic landscape of separation. Greg enjoys meeting clients and learning about their lives and their achievements in often adverse circumstances. He believes it is a privilege to assist people to grow as they transition to new phases in their lives.

Stefan Pantellis has practised exclusively in family law since his admission to legal practice in 2017. Prior to his admission, he worked in family law and family violence prevention in both private practice and the community sector in legal support roles. Stefan is passionate about delivering high quality legal services and achieving practical outcomes for his clients. He is particularly interested in LGBTIQ family law issues including adoption, surrogacy and donor agreement matters. Stefan also has a keen interest in international family law matters and has experience in both Hague and non-Hague Convention child abduction matters.

In this episode, Monica Blizzard, Greg Oliver and Stefan Pantellis discuss the abolition of the Family Court of Australia, following the passing of the Federal Circuit Court and Family Court of Australia Act 2020 and the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2020.

Join us for a discussion about how mental health can be dealt with in family law proceedings, in the wake of the horrific tragedy of the Perinovic family.

Monica Blizzard leads the KHQ Lawyers Family & Relationship law team and is an Accredited Specialist in family law (Law Institute of Victoria). She has more than 20 years' experience as a family lawyer, and is known for her compassion and dedication to helping those going through separation and divorce, and also helping those escaping family violence.   She also specialises in Reproductive Law and Surrogacy.

Kristina Antoniades is a Special Counsel with the KHQ Lawyers Family & Relationship Law team and is also an Accredited Specialist in family law (Law Institute of Victoria).  She has more than 15 years' experience as a family lawyer and is highly experienced in all matters relating to family law. She has developed a specialist practice in LGBTIQ+ family law matters, including the preparation of Donor Agreements and Surrogacy Agreements.

In our latest podcast, Monica Blizzard talks about a new service offering in family law – parenting coordination.  Parenting coordinators are professionally trained practitioners (such as lawyers, psychologists, social workers or mediators) who work with separated or divorced parents to help them with the implantation of parenting orders, and to assist with the transition from ex-partners to co-parents, which can be challenging for many.  Monica outlines the role of parenting coordinators, and how they can help separated couples improve communications for the benefit of themselves and their children.

Monica Blizzard leads the KHQ Lawyers Family & Relationship law team and is an Accredited Specialist in family law (Law Institute of Victoria). She has more than 20 years' experience as a family lawyer, and is known for her compassion and dedication to helping those going through separation and divorce, and also helping those escaping family violence.   She also specialises in Reproductive Law and Surrogacy.

In this episode of Talking Families with KHQ Family Law, Kristina and Monica discuss family law life, after lockdown in Melbourne and the short term and long term impacts of the COVID 19 pandemic on family law cases generally.

Monica Blizzard leads the KHQ Lawyers Family & Relationship law team and is an Accredited Specialist in family law (Law Institute of Victoria). She has more than 20 years' experience as a family lawyer, and is known for her compassion and dedication to helping those going through separation and divorce, and also helping those escaping family violence.   She also specialises in Reproductive Law and Surrogacy.

Kristina Antoniades is a Special Counsel with the KHQ Lawyers Family & Relationship Law team and is also an Accredited Specialist in family law (Law Institute of Victoria).  She has more than 15 years' experience as a family lawyer and is highly experienced in all matters relating to family law. She has developed a specialist practice in LGBTIQ+ family law matters, including the preparation of Donor Agreements and Surrogacy Agreements.

In our first Talking Families with KHQ Family Law podcast, Monica Blizzard (Director) and Kristina Antoniades (Special Counsel) discuss some of the issues facing Melburians in the current stage 4 lockdown, how the family law courts are managing in this crisis, and considerations around family violence.

Monica Blizzard leads the KHQ Lawyers Family & Relationship law team and is an Accredited Specialist in family law (Law Institute of Victoria). She has more than 20 years' experience as a family lawyer, and is known for her compassion and dedication to helping those going through separation and divorce, and also helping those escaping family violence.   She also specialises in Reproductive Law and Surrogacy. 

Kristina Antoniades is a Special Counsel with the KHQ Lawyers Family & Relationship Law team and is also an Accredited Specialist in family law (Law Institute of Victoria).  She has more than 15 years' experience as a family lawyer and is highly experienced in all matters relating to family law. She has developed a specialist practice in LGBTIQ+ family law matters, including the preparation of Donor Agreements and Surrogacy Agreements.