Blog

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.

The decision to meet with a family lawyer may not be an easy one and it may seem daunting or confronting. People often come to us feeling dejected, powerless, or overwhelmed. You may feel the same way, and you may even worry that seeing a lawyer will make things worse and be very expensive.

Long awaited changes to surrogacy laws in the ACT have been proposed today. The Parentage (Surrogacy) Amendment Bill 2023 was introduced to the Legislative Assembly this morning.

What is a breach? A breach (or contravention) of a parenting order occurs when a party to an Order: intentionally fails to comply with the order; or makes no reasonable attempt to comply with the order; or intentionally prevents someone else from complying with the order; or helps someone else...

It’s been nearly one year since the launch of our LGBTIQ Legal Service and we have been overwhelmed by the support we have received both from the legal community and our clients. Through this service we have been able to assist and engage with members of the LGBTIQ community and...

At FGD, we care about YOU, not just your legal needs. We are proud to do things differently. That’s why we have pioneered a unique role – but essential in our view – in a law firm.

Following separation, it’s common for parents to think in terms of what they’re entitled to when it comes to sharing custody of the kids. While the world has come a long way in equalising parental responsibilities between men and women, the way this question normally materialises is whether dads have equal rights to mums.

In most cases “separation” occurs when one person moves out of the family home. Usually the person who moves out doesn’t expect it to be the last time they ever set foot in the place they called home. But often it is when a family violence order is in place....

After endless lockdowns, mask wearing, working from home and the other fun aspects of Covid-19, the Family Law Section 19th Family Law Conference had finally arrived on 14 August 2022. Only 4 rescheduled dates later, we finally arrived! A number of our FGD staff from the Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney...

One of the biggest considerations when parties separate is who will pay the mortgage and other expenses in the intervening period before parties reach an agreement. Generally, these expenses don’t stop when two people separate- and parties to a relationship which has broken down often see a drastic increase in...

The ANU Family Law Course ran over the winter break. FGD were pleased to partner with ANU to assist students with understanding how litigation works from a family law perspective. To begin FGD Director and ANU Alum, Haydn Marsh, presented a workshop to the students on advocacy. He taught the...

A staggering 1 in 2 LGBTIQ people will experience Domestic or Family Violence in their lifetime.  Studies have shown that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Intersex and Queer (LGBTIQ) people are not only more likely to experience family violence, but less likely to recognise, report and receive appropriate support in response....