Your next career move: Earn a Digital Certificate in Family Law

No law firm succeeds without referrals, but new firms often struggle due to a limited client base. To overcome this, many firms partner with related businesses or more established firms. We've compiled four tips to help you to grow your firm through referral partnerships, to establish your reputation and a steady client flow.

What skills matter most to lawyers? As lawyers’ careers progress, technical expertise develops alongside an ability to ‘read’ what a client wants, needs or might not be saying, as well as other skills like negotiation and business development. Yet the ability to make good decisions is often overlooked as a key skill of good lawyers. 

Download this guide to learn more about Dispute Resolution in a nutshell, the core expertise of a Dispute Resolution practitioner, the personal strengths of a Dispute Resolution practitioner, related areas of expertise, as well as specialisation options in Dispute Resolution such as Mediation, Family Dispute Resolution, and Collaborative law.

Learn how Jess Grumelart forged a career in family law through a chance encounter at a careers fair - and an LLM in Applied Law (Family Law). We spoke to Jess about her road to family law, how her LLM helped her connect to a community of supportive family lawyers, and what advice she might have for lawyers wondering to align their legal career with their interests and passions.

Building strong, mutually respectful relationships with your clients helps you fulfil your professional duties – and makes your professional life much easier. Professional rules require practitioners to act honestly and fairly in a client’s best interests and to act with due skill and diligence in service of the client.

It’s a common question: how do you become an in-house lawyer? Is there a good time to make the move? How do you prepare, via secondments or other relevant experience? What qualities make a great in-house lawyer?

In-house is a very different environment to a law firm, especially as most in-house teams are still relatively small – often between three to six lawyers.

We caught up with Chris Bland, a seasoned solicitor, general counsel and principal of Legal Tradecraft Consulting who shares his top 5 commercial drafting strategies. 

Often touted as a lawyer’s secret weapon for success, perfectionism can boost productivity and improve your case results. But there is a shadow to this trait. We spoke with Shona Rowan on how to spot, harness and tackle perfectionism – for a constructive and sustained legal career. 

Don’t we all just love to watch those onscreen lawyers who thrive on flexible ethics, infuriating tactics, and an unorthodox knowledge of the law? They may even remind us of an adversary or two – wink-wink. The College of Law rounds up the top 10 lawyers you love to hate.

Family law matters are deeply personal and may be emotionally charged. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, these challenges can be compounded by cultural considerations and historical disadvantage.

Anyone who has needed to wade through law school essays, summer clerkships, and legal document reviews will know that the world of law can be more tedious than David E Kelly would have us believe. However, like any other competitive pursuit, the Australian legal scene has seen its fair share of historic moments and game changing events.

Insights spoke to Wayne Attrill, a Senior Investment manager with IMF Bentham, a global litigation funding firm, on how litigation funding works alongside lawyers to help meritorious claims, its somewhat controversial history, and its increasing role in resolving disputes.

The Family Law Amendment Act 2024 received Royal Assent on 10 December 2024. These amendments are a result of recommendations made by the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, the Australian Law Reform Commission’s review of the family law system as well as feedback from stakeholders. These recommendations include changes to provisions concerning companion animals, taking a less adversarial approach, disclosure, divorce, protected confidences, and costs orders.

Managing professional development across a team can be overwhelming. Deadlines loom, client demands grow, and compliance remains non-negotiable. Training shouldn’t add to the stress—it should empower your team to thrive.

Ellie Scarf's clients include major multinational law firms and global organisations. Insights spoke to Ellie about what her role involves, and what advice she might have for lawyers and leaders keen to hit peak performance.

Download this guide to learn about a Career in International Arbitration. International arbitration is sometimes called a hybrid form of international dispute resolution, since it blends elements of civil law procedure and common law procedure, while allowing the parties a significant opportunity to design the arbitral procedure under which their dispute will be resolved.

Download the SA Law Practice Management (LPMC) Course Guide and find out how our course can help you transition from lawyer to business leader, giving you the tools to manage a thriving legal practice.

Looking to optimise legal operations and improve service delivery across your firm?Download the course guide. During this course, you’ll cover everything from strategic planning to information governance to financial management. And you’ll walk away with the expertise and confidence to meet today’s legal challenges – head on.

A wrath of changes will be imposed upon Queensland legal practitioners, real estate agents, landlords, and mortgagees when the Property Law Act 2023 comes into effect on 1 August 2025. According to Tara Cush, College of Law lecturer Queensland, there will be the need to use specific forms to meet obligations under the new Act.

Download the NSW Legal Practice Management Course Guide and gain the skills needed to become a principal or partner, opening up new career opportunities in the legal field.

Amid the AI hype and calls for a halt to AI, we examined how ChatGPT is used in law and its future impact.

Fiona Kirkman, family lawyer and co-founder of FamilyProperty, has been an early adopter, using ChatGPT for research, reviews, and summaries. We spoke with her to gain insights into its strengths and limitations in daily legal work.

Insights has compiled a helpful guide to meeting the legal profession’s requirements of being a ‘fit and proper person, with recent examples of lawyers who have failed to meet these requirements.

Let’s face it: most of us were drawn to law at least in part because it’s always looked great on TV. Yes, reasons such as “prestige”, “economic prosperity”, and “a desire to contribute to the justice system” may well have been contributing factors, but would the prospect of becoming a lawyer have really seemed so alluring were it not for the efforts of Alan Shore or Alicia Florrick? 

Significant reforms to Family Law have just passed parliament on 19 October 2023.The Family Law Act (1975) is impacted by these Bills - the Family Law Amendment Bill and Family Law (Information Sharing) Bill. We spoke to Family Lawyer and College of Law Adjunct Lecturer Kathryn Kearley about what these reforms involve and what lawyers need to know.

If you had the opportunity to sit face-to-face with the Attorney-General for Australia, the Honourable Mark Dreyfus KC MP, what would you ask? What would you want to know? Students and staff at the College of Law’s new international headquarters in Sydney were lucky enough to gain this exciting opportunity. 

Family lawyers must be aware of how violence can affect their clients, their client’s case and so be able to identify domestic violence. On 22 September 2023 the National Principles to Address Coercive Control in Family and Domestic Violence were released by the Attorney-General’s Department (‘A-G’).

Nawid Cina managed to evacuate more than 100 vulnerable women and children from Australian-run orphanages in Afghanistan when the Taliban took control in 2021. The orphanages were run by Mahboba Rawi’s Australian charity Mahboba’s Promise, the Australian connection put the women and children living at the orphanages at significant risk from the Taliban. A graduate of the College of Law, we spoke to Nawid to learn more about his human rights work and to gain his legal and career insights.

Managing stress and improving your mental health can help you live a better life - in all areas of your life. John Poulsen, former CEO of Squire Patton Boggs, shares some of his research into the role stress plays in our lives, both necessary and unnecessary, and shares his top 12 stress-busting tactics he has observed successful people adopt.

Unlock the insider insights to becoming a Family Dispute Resolution Practice (FDRP) in this exclusive recorded webinar by the esteemed experts at the College of Law.

Whether you're a legal professional eager to elevate your skills or a mediator aiming to expand your toolkit, this session covers all the essential details on the journey to becoming an FDRP.

Download your guide to a career in-house for everything you need to know about in-house practice in a nutshell, the personal strengths of an in-house lawyer, the core expertise of an in-house lawyer, related areas of expertise, and career prospects in-house.

Obtaining clear instructions from your client may seem like a straightforward requirement as a lawyer. However, this can be easier said than done if a client is in a fraught emotional state (and if they are seeing a lawyer this may be the case) or if there are differences in culture. Special Counsel Olamide Kowalik knows this all too well, as part of the Springwood-based Revolution Law team, Olamide advises clients from a wide range of backgrounds. We asked for Olamide’s advice on navigating these issues in order to gain clear instructions. 

Space law is a growing field as humanity embraces space exploration with renewed vigour, propelled by private interests and national endeavours. We caught up with Helen Tung, College of Law lecturer in international arbitration, on her pioneering career in space law and to find out about the opportunities available for those interested in exploring the final legal frontier.

Learn how Bridget Cullen carved a career in public law and her advice for becoming an administrative lawyer.

The College of Law wishes to express its condolences to the family of the late Professor Sandford Delbridge “Sandy” Clark AM who died in Melbourne on 2 November 2022.

Family Law is undergoing a series of major reforms to the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) which involves proposed changes as set out in the Family Law Amendment Bill (No. 2). Family lawyer and College of Law adjunct lecturer Kathryn Kearley provides an overview of the second tranche of reforms which have been moving through a consultation process, this ended on 10 November 2023. Here is a brief covering the Consultation on the Family Law Amendment Bill (No.2) 2023.

Discover the power of plain language for lawyers with our comprehensive guide. Learn how to communicate clearly, master formatting, and put plain language into action.

Kiarah embodies the archetype of a lifelong learner – and she’s kindly shared her career tips from a serial student

Adeline Schiralli, Consulting Principal at Keypoint Law (NSW), is a master of Wills and Estates law. Literally. Adeline traces her journey to specialisation, highlighting the College of Law’s LLM as a crucial step to accreditation.

Download your guide to a career in government and public sector law for everything you need to know about government and public sector law in a nutshell, the personal strengths of a government and public sector lawyer, the core expertise of a government and public sector lawyer, related areas of expertise, and career prospects in government and public sector law.

If you are getting serious about starting your own law firm, this one-hour video is for you. 

You have probably heard it a thousand times before, “confidence is key”. But what does a confident communicator really look like? Research has shown it’s less about ‘what’ you say and more about ‘how’ you say it. Learning to speak clearly and confidently may be hard, but according to Pippa Gardner, Communications Expert and Coach at PG Communications, the results are worth it. Here is Pippa’s Four C Framework to help you speak with influence.

As cyber security becomes the domain of organised crime every Australian individual and business has become an unwilling target. Law firms are rarely early adopters of tech and yet they now face complex cyber security threats. Before you embrace your inner doomsday prepper, we caught up with Lawcover’s Legal Risk Manager, Glenda Carry, to find out how law firms are being targeted by cyber security threats, and what steps they can take to mitigate risk.

A recent case before the New South Wales Court of Appeal, Gan v Xie [2023] NSWCA 163, resurfaced issues regarding direct speech, and how it ought to appear in an affidavit. Barrister Jonathan Tsang, a College of Law graduate, spoke to us about the key implications following this decision, and what lawyers need to know moving forward.

The International Bar Association, The College of Law Australia and The Legal Policy & Research Unit have collaborated to develop a set of e-learning modules designed to assist individuals and organisations make the changes recommended by the 2019 landmark report Us Too? Bullying and Sexual Harassment in the Legal Profession. 

With the rise of online learning, it’s easier than ever to collect your CPD points at a time – and place – that suits you. Not all online courses are created equal. So how do you know if an online, or on-demand course will stack up? Here we explore the six markers of an excellent on-demand legal course.

The rules governing whether to prepare a land dealing in paper or electronically in NSW can be complex. Here to untangle this complexity is property lawyer and College of Law adjunct lecturer Greg Stilianou, who will step you through what you need to know.

Significant changes in legal delivery are occurring around the globe. Traditional ways of doing business have given way to innovation at lightning speed. Shift your way of thinking, solve problems efficiently and identify new opportunities for growth.

What’s the difference between management and leadership? This subject is a road map to understanding the complexities and motivations of individuals and teams, and how to lead them to success.

We’ve created this guide to equip you with practical tips for establishing a successful law firm. Complete with checklists, activities and other resources, we hope this guide will set you on the right path – from the outset.

The College delves into the strategies and tactics that lawyers can employ to effectively negotiate salary and conditions. Drawing on insights from certified Executive and Leadership Coach Sue Billen and Mahlab Managing Director Lisa Gazis, we'll explore how to build a strong case for your worth, understand market trends, and navigate the complexities of negotiating with potential employers.

Jess Popple, Senior Associate at Pippa Colman Family Law, has become something of a rising star in her field. Since completing her PLT and a postgraduate qualification at the College, Jess has won the Queensland Emergent Woman Lawyer of the Year Award – and served on numerous boards and associations.

Mortgagee sales may be alluring to many property bargain hunters. However, hidden within the troubled title deeds of mortgagee sales can be caveats that can hinder the sale, or even more significantly impact subsequent buyers. We spoke to property lawyer Greg Stilianou to uncover what issues might impact mortgagee sales, why it’s important to address caveats early on, and what lawyers need to know when providing advice on a mortgagee sale.  

If you’re only doing CPD to stay compliant, you’re missing out. The real power of professional development is about building the skills, confidence, and expertise that make you stand out (along with staying up-to-date of course).

The Honourable Robert Benjamin AM SC is no stranger to conflict. Having served for nearly sixteen years as a judge on the Family Court of Australia, Robert has also been a Commissioner for Tasmania’s Inquiry into Government Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings. It’s a career that has seen him navigate the complex human dynamics of the courtroom. Robert shares his practical framework to navigate tricky conversations, specifically designed to help lawyers deliver unwelcome news to clients.

Linda Kochanski AM is a key figure in the transition from the National Mediator Accreditation System (NMAS) to the Australian Mediator and Dispute Resolution Accreditation Standards (AMDRAS). Linda sheds light on these significant accreditation changes and Jeffrey Roth, Head of Short Courses at the College, discusses the new Lawyer Mediation Accreditation (LMA) Scheme recently announced by the Law Society of NSW.

Duha Al Hassnawi is an Australian admitted lawyer who decided to move to the United Kingdom and qualify as an English solicitor. For anyone considering a similar career (and life) change we hear from Duha about what drove her to make this significant move and what the cross-qualification process was like when preparing and completing the SQE.

What you wear has been proven to impact how you feel and perform, it has also been shown to influence how others perceive and respond to you. Given these findings what you wear to the office, a client meeting, to court, or even a job interview, matters. Experienced style expert and author, Dijanna Mulhearn, provides her expert tips on how lawyers can take their look and feel to the next level and dress for success at work.

What does it mean to be successful? Her Honour Magistrate Michelle Harries, former Assistant Director and lecturer at the College of Law WA, shares her insights at the PLT Excellence Awards Evening. The following is an extract from Her Honour’s speech.

Becoming a specialist can be a smart career move. It’s a pathway to new knowledge, opportunities and challenges. But it’s also a commitment. So is specialising the right move for you? Learn the ins, outs, and must-knows of specialising – and what you need to know before you take the leap.

Beat the CPD deadline with the College of Law’s CPD Digital Subscription. Access 140+ courses at any time, with high-impact options for last-minute points.  

We caught up with Jonathon Naef, co-founder of multi-award winning boutique firm, Balance Family Law, to find out how he built the firm’s Wills & Estates team in response to both current and coming client demand in the space. It turns out family law and wills and estates can make the winning service combination…

Following a series of reviews of the family law system, on 22 August 2024 the Australian Government introduced the Family Law Amendment Bill 2024 into the Commonwealth Parliament. The Bill sets out very significant amendments, including those relating to property settlements, pet custody and children’s arrangements, which aim to modernise and improve the family law system in Australia.

For 50 years, the College of Law has led the way in practical legal education.

We stand in our own lane – empowering practitioners to become the best lawyers they can be. How? With innovative, hands-on training that evolves with the demands of the legal profession.

Our CPD Digital Subscription is built on this legacy.

LLM graduate Ilvana Nanic shares why she finds family law so rewarding, and her advice to lawyers interested in studying The College of Law LLM.

Explore how an LLM helped best graduating student (commercial litigation) Dominique Mayo advance her career.

Jo Bragg, a solicitor in regional Tasmania, started as a generalist lawyer. Her personal experience of separation, along with increasing client demand, prompted her to move into family law. Insights spoke to Jo about what attracted her to family law, what her day-to-day life looks like in practice, and her advice for lawyers looking to move into the area.

Restrictive covenants on property titles can become outdated relics that hinder development and create unnecessary burdens for owners. Here to shed light on this often-overlooked aspect of property law is property specialist and College of Law adjunct lecturer, Greg Stilianou. Greg explains the common types of obsolete covenants, legal pathways for their removal, and potential reforms that could streamline the process for property owners.

The legal profession's traditional emphasis on technical skills can sometimes overshadow what truly differentiates exceptional lawyers, according to John Poulsen, former Australian Managing Partner and CEO of Squire Patton Boggs. With the perspective only years of industry leadership can provide, Poulsen now advises legal professionals through his consultancy People Passion Performance.

The College delves into the key requirements, steps involved, and potential challenges of cross-qualifying as an Australian lawyer in the UK. We spoke to Duha Al Hassnawi, an Australian foreign lawyer based in London, for her insights on the dual qualification process. Duha is currently enrolled in The College of Legal Practice’s SQE1 prep course.

Download the Dispute Resolution Postgraduate Course Guide to learn how our program can equip you with essential skills to resolve conflicts effectively and build a rewarding career in this growing field.

Recently, the Supreme Court of New South Wales introduced combined Succession & Probate Lists, applicable to family provision claims and contested probate applications. Queensland is also trialling a Wills and Estates List and there are likely to be further implications for other jurisdictions. We spoke to College of Law Lecturer Josephine Pignataro, Special Counsel at HWL Ebsworth, about what you need to know and how this will impact your practice.

To prepare you for what’s next, let’s unpack the College of Law’s 5 most popular on-demand CPD Digital Subscription courses. It’s the best way to keep your skills sharp – and your mind engaged.