A R C W E L L LEGAL
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Services

Focused expertise across family law.

Explore our range of services designed to help you move forward with confidence, wherever you're headed next.

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Relationship Property / Separation

02 /

Care of Children

03 /

Contracting Out Agreements

04 /

Collaborative Law

05 /

Estate & Succession Disputes

06 /

Family Violence

07 /

Protection of Personal & Property Rights

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01 / Service

Relationship Property / Separation

The division of relationship property can have lasting financial consequences. We provide careful, strategic advice at every stage — from early planning to complex litigation.

  • 01Drafting and reviewing relationship property agreements
  • 02Division of property on separation
  • 03Complex asset structures involving trusts and companies
  • 04Business interests and high-value matters
  • 05Negotiation and mediation
  • 06Representation in the Family Court and High Court

We combine rigorous financial analysis with practical judgement to protect long-term stability and security.

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02 / Service

Care of Children

Parenting disputes require both clarity and sensitivity. We assist clients with calm authority and a focus on stability.

  • 01Day-to-day care arrangements
  • 02Guardianship disputes
  • 03Parenting agreements
  • 04Mediation and negotiated outcomes
  • 05Court representation
  • 06Relocation matters
  • 07Paternity disputes
  • 08Family violence proceedings

The wellbeing of children remains central, while ensuring our clients' rights and responsibilities are clearly understood and protected.

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03 / Service

Contracting Out Agreements

Contracting out agreements provide clarity and protection for partners entering or already in a relationship.

  • 01Independent legal advice and certification
  • 02Drafting and reviewing contracting out agreements
  • 03Advice on the effect and implications of agreements
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04 / Service

Collaborative Law

Collaborative law is a voluntary, structured process that allows you to resolve legal matters — most commonly separation or divorce — without setting foot in a courtroom.

  • 01Participation agreement and process setup
  • 02Voluntary and confidential negotiations
  • 03Interest-based outcomes — not rigid legal positions
  • 04Financial specialist involvement where required
  • 05Family consultant involvement for parenting matters
  • 06Specialist trained collaborative lawyers

Collaborative law is particularly well-suited to situations where an ongoing relationship must be preserved, privacy is important, or where both parties wish to retain control of the outcome.

The Four Pillars of Collaborative Law
01

Voluntary

Both parties choose to participate and can withdraw at any point.

02

Confidential

What is shared in the process stays in the process, with limited exceptions.

03

Interest-based

Solutions are built around needs and priorities, not rigid legal positions.

04

Future-focused

Particularly valuable where an ongoing relationship — such as co-parenting — is required.

Collaborative Law vs. Traditional Litigation
Traditional Litigation
Collaborative Process
Adversarial by design
Cooperative and respectful
Decisions made by a judge
You retain control of the outcome
Public court record
Private and confidential
Can be lengthy and costly
Typically faster and less expensive
Damages ongoing relationships
Preserves working relationships

Our collaborative law team: Amanda Fitzgibbon, Anna Bodman, and Penny Henderson are all fully trained and accredited collaborative lawyers. Arcwell Legal is committed to offering you every available path to resolution.

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05 / Service

Family Violence

Family violence proceedings require urgent and careful legal support.

  • 01Protection orders — on notice and without notice
  • 02Occupation orders
  • 03Responding to orders made against you
  • 04Safety planning and referrals
  • 05Representation in Family Court proceedings
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06 / Service

Estate & Succession Disputes

Disputes arising from estates often involve complex family dynamics and significant financial interests.

  • 01Family Protection Act claims
  • 02Wills Act claims
  • 03Testamentary promise claims
  • 04Property (Relationships) Act claims following death
  • 05Advice on entitlements against estates
  • 06Defence of estate claims
  • 07Trust-related succession disputes
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07 / Service

Protection of Personal & Property Rights

Applications under the Protection of Personal and Property Rights Act require precision and thoughtful judgement.

  • 01Welfare guardian applications
  • 02Property manager appointments
  • 03Disputes relating to enduring powers of attorney
  • 04Capacity-related matters

These matters often involve vulnerable individuals and sensitive family circumstances. We approach them with care and measured advocacy.

Our Process

How we work with you.

01

Initial discussion

We begin with an initial discussion to understand your circumstances, your priorities, and the issues involved.

02

Strategy and advice

We provide clear advice on your rights, obligations, and the most effective way forward.

03

Resolution

Where possible, we work to resolve matters constructively through negotiation, agreement, or mediation.

04

Representation

If court proceedings are required, we provide strong and considered representation throughout the process.

The Client Experience

What working with us actually looks like.

Clear from day one.

You will understand your legal position, your options, and likely outcomes before any decisions are made. No jargon. No vague reassurances.

One senior lawyer, throughout.

The senior lawyer you meet at the start leads your matter and strategy through to resolution. You always have direct access to the person responsible for your case.

The most direct path to resolution.

We pursue negotiation and mediation where possible. Litigation when necessary. We will not run a process that does not serve your outcome.

Positioned for what comes next.

Beyond resolving the immediate dispute, we help you understand and protect your position going forward — so you leave with clarity, not just a settlement.

Ready for an initial conversation?