Anne-Marie’s Story

My CV is a testament to my commitment to technical excellence and a life in both the practice and service of law. I am, in essence, a problem solver, having forged my skills over almost two decades of work in the most intellectually diverse and emotionally charged legal arena: family law.

I have long had a passion for family law and winning an international family law mooting competition as a uni student cemented my career direction. For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by what makes people tick and, particularly, how we respond during times of stress and conflict.

I began my career as a legal associate to a highly regarded Appeals Court Judge in the days when such roles were very rare and then spent five years honing my skills in a large commercial law firm. Since 2005 I have been an Accredited Family Law Specialist and the principal in my own firm. After almost 20 years in practice I am now recognised by my peers as a leading Mediator and Family Lawyer in Queensland and beyond.

The focus of my practice in more recent years has been on dispute resolution without recourse to courts and much of my time is now spent mediating and training family lawyers around the country in the key skills necessary for effective Mediation, Arbitration and Collaborative Practice.

I believe that preparing for settlement begins at the first client meeting and that much of what the very best lawyers do is to focus on, and strategically work towards, the end result and not the battle in between. “What you focus on expands”.

In 2017 and again in 2018 I was nominated by my colleagues as one of Queensland’s Best Family Law Mediators. It is an acknowledgement I am proud of and I am committed to constantly honing my skills in this important and hugely rewarding work.

I have been fortunate to teach the Family Law subject at the University of Queensland since 2014 and I take delight in exposing a new generation of lawyers to the legal and psychological nuances of a life in the law.

Since 2002 I have been regularly invited to speak at local, national and international conferences on topics related to dispute resolution, client management and family law. I write routinely for academic and industry journals and am invigorated by sharing ideas about the law and the delivery of legal services with Australia’s best lawyers, academics and training providers.