Welcome, we’re glad you’re here.
We have many of ACT’s best family & wills lawyers and support our clients in resolving matters out of court whenever possible.
In the family law space, we advocate out of Court solutions and Collaborative law to help parties have a fast, amicable settlement wherever possible. Somebody’s ‘rights’ under the law are not the only thing that matters. But we also understand that tough skilled Court work is needed in some cases.
We are based in the Canberra CBD at Level 1, 10 Rudd Street, Canberra. Give us a call on 02 6115 9000.
Adam Bak
Director
Adam joined the firm in 2006 and became a Director in 2013. Having built his reputation as one of our best litigators, he has been recognised for several years as one of Canberra’s preeminent family lawyers. He is regularly referred new clients by people he has acted both for and against previously. Adam’s approach is assertive and proactive. He is outcome focused and not afraid to tackle apparently insurmountable challenges.
Ramya Balachandren
Director
Ramya joined us after working in several Canberra based and national family law firms. Ramya has been practicing family law exclusively since her admission and is passionate about the intricacies and challenges involved in this area of law. Ramya’s empathetic and compassionate nature, coupled with her knowledge of the law, assists clients in getting through what is often one of the most difficult times of their lives.
Jim Dunn
CEO
Despite his youthful good looks Jim has in excess of 40 years of experience. Once upon a time Jim was one of Australia’s fiercest litigators; but having now attained a state of zen he is passionate about the benefits of collaboration for clients. When he isn’t reading books on why lawyers should eat bananas he manages to keep the rest of us feeling good about ourselves and he has steered the firm through 25 successful years (and counting).
Kasey Fox
Director
Kasey began her family law career with us back in 2004 and was made a Director in 2013. Originally from Alice Springs, Kasey has made Canberra her home more than 17 years. She is pragmatic, thorough, passionate about her work and very protective of her clients. When necessary, Kasey is a fierce litigator, but she also is an advocate for Collaborative Law and tries to reach negotiated outcomes whenever possible.
Jessica Kennedy
Director
Jessica is a family law superstar and human overachiever, with an impressive range of experience in the family law arena, and a particular focus on championing the rights of those who need it most. Although Jessica has a PhD in Law, there is no need to call her “Doc”, she is down-to-earth and advocates for her family law clients with genuine care and expertise.
Kirsty McLeod
Director
Kirsty began her career in New Zealand but (fortunately for us) moved to Australia in 2010. She is our go-to person for surrogacy and parentage work (which is really complicated, so you’ll need an expert) and has spoken at conferences and even participated in a parliamentary roundtable inquiry on the subject. She has run lots of contested and tricky parenting cases. Kirsty also has a degree in economics, so she’s all over hard financial cases.
Robert Routh
Director
Robert is a former Registrar of the Family Court of Australia and is also a registered Dispute Resolution Practitioner in Family Law. Robert’s experience of more than 20 years has enabled him to assist many clients in resolving their legal issues at an early stage. His emphasis is in early settlement of legal disputes. Robert’s pragmatic approach to matters allows clients to focus on the “bigger picture”.
Olivia Gesini
Solicitor Training & Development
Olivia has returned to FGD in her new Solicitor Training and Development role after 10 years exploring other areas of professional interest including designing and teaching Masters level Specialist Family Law courses at the ANU, working as Deputy Registrar of the High Court, co-writing a textbook on Family Law, and focussing on collaborative family law at a small boutique Canberra law firm.
In her current role, Olivia’s focus is on solicitor training and mentoring and providing high level strategy in complex cases. After more than 35 years in practice, Olivia has a lot to offer the solicitors in the firm, and through them the clients of the firm.
Zoe Behrens
Family Lawyer
Zoe is a compassionate and dedicated family lawyer with a background in people and behavioural science. She graduated from the University of Technology, Sydney, where she obtained combined degrees in Management and Law. Zoe’s passion for helping individuals and families navigate complex issues led her to specialise in family law. She also has great financial nous, and is well-versed in complex financial and financial agreement cases.
Jiaying Goh
Family Law Solicitor
Jiaying is known around the office for being a quick operator and human computer. She has experience in Family Law and Wills. Since joining the firm in 2018, she has been thinking a lot about how to make the law a better place for our clients. After much thinking she coded the AI behind our online family law service www.moderndivorce.com.au. Jiaying spent most of her childhood in Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia and speaks Mandarin at a native level.
Anastasios Keramianakis
Family Law Solicitor
Over his years of practice, Tassi has built a reputation for being able to navigate difficult and high conflict family law matters. He holds a degree in accounting which gives him an edge in complex property and financial cases. He also regularly appears in Family Violence matters in the ACT Magistrates Court and handles family law matters that involve concurrent criminal proceedings.
Angela Li
Family Lawyer
Angela has been a family lawyer since 2014. She offers direct and honest, yet caring and compassionate legal advice. She is thorough and considered in her approach and assists clients in an efficient, pragmatic and solutions-focussed manner. Angela is experienced in all areas of family law but really shines when dealing with complicated financial matters and complex parenting matters.
Daniel Magnussen
Family Law Solicitor
Daniel has practised exclusively in family law since his admission as a lawyer. Daniel is nationally recognised as a leading family lawyer having won the Lawyers Weekly 30 under 30: Family Law Award. Daniel is skilled in complex dispute resolution between married and de facto/same-sex partners, including negotiated property settlements, pre-nups/binding financial agreements, parenting disputes, relocation matters, and child support matters.
Renee Mastrolembo
Family Law Solicitor
Renee joined us in 2020 to pursue her passion for family law, upon completion of a Masters of Applied Law (Family Law). Since, Renee has quickly become a crucial member of our team, with ample experience in complex property, parenting and family violence matters. Her headstrong, pragmatic approach is well received by all and ensures that her advice is strategic and outcome-oriented.
Isobel Spencer
Family Lawyer
Despite enrolling in a law degree, Isobel was initially adamant that she wouldn’t ever be a lawyer. However, a passion for people and a desire to have a genuine impact on their lives drew her into the family law jurisdiction, where she has practised since her admission. Isobel has a particular interest in parenting matters and strives to find a resolution for clients as efficiently as possible.
Melany Toombs
Family Lawyer
Melany formerly worked as a Legal Associate in the Family Court of Australia and is well-equipped with an understanding of complex parenting cases, particularly those involving questions of risk and what is in the child’s best interests. She has experience delving into unusual property matters involving superannuation and cryptocurrency. Melany harnesses her keen legal research skills and meticulous attention to detail to ensure that clients receive high quality and long-lasting solutions to complex problems.
Mary Saade
Family Lawyer
Mary is strategic and outcome focused in her approach. Mary is passionate about family law and working creatively to develop a strategy best suited to her clients in order to derive outcomes in their best interests and that are cost effective. Mary is a people person, takes pride in building rapport with people and getting to know them and their situation.