Family Lawyers for all stages of your relationship delivering high quality services with integrity and care.

Nicole was admitted to legal practice in 2004 and has worked almost exclusively in family law since, she is a trained collaborative lawyer, has completed a Master of Law majoring in Family Law and is an Accredited Specialist in Family Law.

Nicole’s focus is now assisting clients in all aspects of their family law matters and she takes particular interest in prenuptial agreements, complex parenting litigation including Magellan matters, relocation matters and neurodiversity, and property matters involving businesses and trust entities.

Nicole volunteers on several committees and at the Magpies Nest on a regular basis.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Arts, La Trobe University
• Bachelor of Law, Deakin University
• Collaborative Lawyer
• Master of Law (Family Law), College of Law
• Accredited Family Law Specialist, Law Institute Victoria

Memberships

• Law Institute of Victoria
• Family Law Section Law Council of Australia
• Southern Lawyers Association
• Family Law Association of Victoria

Caterina (Cathy) is a Partner and Accredited Family Law Specialist. She has practised exclusively in family law since 2005.

With experience in all areas of family law involving same sex, de facto and married couples, she takes a professional, dedicated, and compassionate approach.

From complex property matters, children’s matters, abduction and child support Cathy takes a solution-based approach to resolve matters expeditiously and commercially. Cathy has a particular interest in drafting and reviewing Financial Agreements, including “pre-nups” which are gaining popularity as parties seek to quarantine or protect their assets in the event of “uncoupling”.

Cathy’s second language is Italian. She also volunteers in the kitchen at the Salvation Army.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Law
• Post Graduate Diploma (Criminology)
• Bachelor of Social Sciences (Hons)
• Collaborative Lawyer
• Accredited Family Law Specialist, Law Institute Victoria

Memberships

• Law Institute of Victoria
• Family Law Section Law Council of Australia
• Family Law Association of Victoria

Before coming to Accessible Family Law Renee spent 13 years working within the Federal Magistrates Court (as it then was), Family Court and in the Federal Court of Australia.

Renee commenced her career at Victoria Legal Aid before working in the capacity of a Deputy Associate and then Associate in the Federal Magistrates Court (now the Federal Circuit Court) before moving onto the Family Court as a Judge’s Associate. Here she honed her skills in family law litigation management.

Renee then spent six years working as an Executive Assistant to a Federal Court Judge where she managed Judge’s chambers responsible for some of the largest commercial and class action litigation in recent Australian history.

Renee is responsible for management of our practice including all systems and procedures and brings exceptional administration and client engagement skills with her to Accessible Family Law.

Renee volunteers at the Magpies Nest on a regular basis.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Arts, La Trobe University
• Licenced Conveyancer

Elisabeth was admitted to practice in May 2014 and is an Accredited Specialist in Family Law. She graduated from Deakin University with Honours in Law and attended the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics commercial study tour.

Coming to law after a prior profession gave Elisabeth a head start in terms of client engagement, file management and navigating the complex needs of clients.

Elisabeth draws on her commercial law experience when assisting family law clients and in particular in complex property matters which involve company and trust structures.

She has an excellent reputation amongst her peers and is a focused litigator ensuring clients in litigation receive exceptional representation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Deakin University
• Accredited Family Law Specialist, Law Institute Victoria

Memberships

• Law Institute of Victoria
• Family Law Section Law Council of Australia
• Later Lawyers Committee member with the Law Institute of Victoria
• Family Law Association of Victoria

Janine was admitted to legal practice in 2021 and has worked exclusively in family law since this time. Prior to her admission she undertook internships with Victoria Police Prosecutions and Victoria Legal Aid as a duty lawyer assisting in Family Violence and Personal Safety Intervention Orders.

Janine works across all domains of family law, she has experience in complex parenting, child support, adult child maintenance and high value property matters together with intervention orders. Her trial preparation skills are finely tuned and often commended by counsel working with her in litigation.

Janine volunteers at a Community Legal Centre and volunteers at the Magpies Nest.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Music Education and Composition, University of Sydney
• Bachelor of Law, Victoria University
• Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice, College of Law

Memberships

• Law Institute of Victoria
• Family Law Section Law Council of Australia
• Family Law Association of Victoria

Brianna was admitted to legal practice in 2023 commencing her career in criminal law before moving into family law.

Brianna works in close consultation with Cathy Andrews and Elisabeth Blackwell building her knowledge in all areas of family law and ensuring her clients receive the highest level of representation.

Brianna works across all domains of family law, she has experience in parenting, property, spousal maintenance, child support, paternity and intervention order matters.

Clients will find Brianna’s approach thorough and detailed. She makes client feel immediately at ease and navigates complex matters with certainty.

Brianna sits on a Law Institute of Victoria Committee and enjoys volunteering at the Magpies Nest.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Law (Honours), Monash University
• Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice, College of Law

Memberships

• Law Institute of Victoria
• Family Law Section Law Council of Australia
• Family Law Association of Victoria