I am an accredited specialist divorce and family lawyer and a Director of Phillips Family Law, a leading Australian Law Firm in Brisbane, Queensland. 

I am an empathetic family lawyer who provides legal advice, care and guidance to people experiencing relationship breakdown or those seeking advice prior to or during a relationship, including as to prenuptial and financial agreements.

Being empathetic, Fiona is highly responsive to the thoughts and feelings of others, which allows her to be instinctively attuned to the needs of her clients. She treats her clients as individuals.

A disciplined, efficient and organised lawyer, Fiona provides big picture, commercial and practical advice to her clients. Always on the lookout for the positive in a situation, she is able to work with her clients and their advisors and other professionals to find mutually beneficial outcomes and opportunities for them.

A key characteristic of Fiona’s approach is sensitive communication with her clients, allowing her to quickly develop a genuine rapport whilst providing high level legal advice and adopting a holistic approach to the management of their family law issues.

Legal Qualifications

As an Accredited Family Law Specialist, recognised by the Queensland Law Society and having worked exclusively in the in area of family law for over a decade, Fiona is well appraised of the court processes and cases.

Accolades

In December 2017 Fiona was recognised by the peer reviewed by Doyles Guide as a Leading Family Law and Divorce Lawyer and as a Leading Parenting and Children’s Matters Lawyer in Brisbane, 2018. The Guide identifies firms and practitioners recognised by their peers for their expertise and abilities.

Fiona has previously been recognised in the Leading Family Law and Divorce Lawyer list in December 2017 and in January 2016 as a “Rising Star“.  The “Rising Star” List acknowledged 14 family lawyers across Australia in the developmental stage of their career. Fiona was the only lawyer practicing in Brisbane and one of only two in Queensland to receive this acknowledgement in 2016.

Areas of Expertise

Fiona is experienced in property matters, including where there are complex company and trust structures and where there are third party interests.

She has developed a niche assisting women experiencing separation after many years of marriage to navigate their way forward towards resolution of a property settlement by advising and guiding them to make informed decisions about the best way to move forward, in keeping with their goals.  By assisting them to establish a circle of trusted advisors and a support network, Fiona’s clients have said they are able move forward with management of their finances and their life with greater clarity.

Fiona also has a particular interest and expertise in complex parenting matters, including those involving interstate or international relocation,  having previously been appointed to the panel of Independent Children’s Lawyer – working to represent the interests of children, and collaborative law – working with clients to avoid costly litigation where possible.

Enjoying positive working relationships with other lawyers and professional colleagues including accountants, valuers, counsellors, psychologists and psychiatrists allows Fiona to assist clients to achieve the best possible outcomes, both in a legal and personal sense.

Appointments

Fiona is the President of the Family Law Practitioners’ Association of Queensland (FLPA), having been elected to this role in November 2016. Prior to November 2016, Fiona had been Vice- President since November 2014 and a committee member, elected to FLPA’s Executive Committee each year since 2009, by its members.

FLPA is Queensland’s leading professional body representing almost 1000 practitioners, (including lawyers, accountants, psychologists, financial planners, mediators, amongst others) who work in family law. FLPA is Queensland’s leading voice for family law practitioners on major issues of concern about practice and procedure and issues impacting family law. It is a professional, organised, voluntary, not for profit association committed to providing valuable services to members.