Going to Court in a family law matter is a serious step. By the time a case reaches that point, negotiations have usually run their course and the parties are asking a Judge to decide the outcome for them. At that stage, strategy and advocacy become critically important.
If you are going to Court, you need clear answers to a few crucial questions.
- What orders are you asking for?
- Why should the Court make them?
- What outcomes are realistically available?
- And how will the evidence support your position?
These questions sound simple. In practice, having the answers ready is where cases are won or lost.
At Farrar Gesini Dunn, litigation is a core part of our expertise. Our lawyers regularly run complex parenting disputes, financial matters, urgent recovery applications and family violence proceedings. When a matter needs to be litigated, our role is to guide clients through the process, shoulder the stress of the situation and advocate strongly for the outcome they are seeking.
At FGD, advocacy is closely connected to the strategy behind the case. The advocate appearing in Court is involved in shaping the arguments, identifying the strongest evidence and refining the approach well before the hearing takes place.
For clients, this means the person standing up in Court understands the case in detail and knows exactly how it will be presented.
FGD In-house Advocates
To support this work, the firm has established an in-house advocacy team. The idea is straightforward. When a matter goes to Court, the advocate appearing should understand the strategy behind the case.
The in-house advocates appear in interim hearings, urgent applications, directions hearings, mediations and family violence proceedings across the firm’s national offices.
Much of this work is led by Daniel Magnussen, one of the firm’s partners who regularly appears as a solicitor advocate. Daniel works closely with the lawyers running the matter to refine the litigation strategy, identify the key evidence and ensure the case presented in Court is clear and focused.
Running advocacy internally allows for a level of continuity that is often lost when external counsel is briefed late in the process. The strategy is developed early and the advocacy reflects that.
FGD Strategy Committee
Good advocacy rarely starts the night before a hearing.
At FGD, we have a dedicated strategy committee that oversees and approves strategy in complex matters, including cases that are heading to Court. This committee is comprised of some of the firm’s most experienced lawyers: Jim Dunn, Olivia Gesini, Robert Routh, Ann Northcote and Sarah Keenan.
Here, arguments are tested, evidence is challenged and different approaches are considered before the hearing takes place.
By the time a case reaches Court, there is a clear plan for how it will be run.
The FGD commitment
When a family law matter needs to be fought in Court, strategy, preparation and good advocacy make the difference.
And if that’s where the case ends up, we’ll see you in Court.
Sydney
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Melbourne
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Canberra
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Coffs Harbour
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Daniel Magnussen
Family Lawyer
Daniel is nationally recognised as a leading family lawyer having won the Lawyers Weekly 30 under 30: Family Law Award. Daniel specialises in litigation and is a fierce and confident advocate in the Family Court. He also understands when to advocate for alternate dispute resolution and is trained in Collaborative Law.
Daniel is highly skilled in: complex negotiated property settlements, pre-nups/binding financial agreements, high conflict parenting disputes and relocation matters. Further, Daniel is very experienced in family and domestic violence and regularly appears in the Magistrates Court.