Profile

Esther Lawson was admitted to the NSW Bar in 2005. The majority of Esther’s practice as a barrister over the past 20 years has been in the areas of Family Law and Care and Protection law.

Esther has regularly been recognised by her peers in the Doyle’s Guide as a ‘preeminent’ and a ‘leading’ barrister in Family Law matters. She has significant experience in client advocacy and complex trial work. She has appeared in several reported cases.

Esther has appeared in the Full Court of the Family Court, the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, the NSW Court of Appeal, the NSW Supreme Court and the NSW District Court. Esther has appeared led in the High Court of Australia in the decision of Masson and Parsons (2019).

Esther has regularly appeared on circuit in country sittings of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia and the District Court.

Over the years, Esther has sat on committees such as the Family Law Committee of the NSW Bar, the Children’s Court Advisory Committee, the Expert Working Committee on ADR in Care and Protection Proceedings, the Professional Conduct Committee of the NSW Bar, the Australian Bar Association Family Law Committee, the Legal Aid Committee of the NSW Bar and the Legal Aid Review Committee.

Esther is a nationally accredited mediator and accepts briefs to appear as a mediator in parenting and property matters.

Esther has presented a number of papers and lectures to the legal profession. A sample of which can be found below:

• NSW Bar Association, Continuing Professional Development (CPD), Sydney,. ‘Mitigating and Managing Vicarious Trauma’: 2022
• Legalwise Seminars; Expert Evidence in Parenting Proceedings, a comparison; Family Law, Care and Protection Law and Adoption; 2019
• NSW Bar Association Reader’s Course: ‘An Introduction to Family Law’ 2019 (2 x per year)
• NSW Bar Association, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Parramatta, ‘Expert Evidence in Parenting Proceedings, a comparison: Family Law, Care and Protection Law and Adoption’: 2015
• NSW Bar Association, Continuing Professional Development (CPD), Sydney, ‘Cultural Planning in Care and Protection Proceedings’: 2014
• Crown Solicitors Office Annual Conference ‘Decision of TVK and its implications in Adoption Proceedings’: 2013
• Joint author of ‘Care and Protection Chapter’, Lawyers Practice Manual NSW, Published by Thomsons: 2012
• NSW Bar Association Reader’s Course: ‘Overview of the Care and Protection Jurisdiction’: 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009 (2 x per year)
• Legal Aid NSW Care and Protection Annual Conference, Guest Presenter: ‘Practice Standards in Care and Protection Proceedings’: 2011
• Children’s Law Annual Conference, Guest Presenter: ‘Changes to Care and Protection Law’: 2009
• Legal Aid NSW Care and Protection Annual Conference, Guest Presenter: ‘Changes to Care and Protection Law’: 2009
• Brothers and Sisters In Law (BASIL) Annual Conference, Guest Presenter: ‘De facto Relationships’: 2009
• Northern Beaches Annual Conference, Guest Presenter: ‘Contravention Proceedings’: 2008

Notable cases in which Esther has appeared in include:

• Masson and Parsons [2019]HCA 21 – High Court decision concerning who is the parent in artificial insemination procedures
• Wallace and Lane [2025] FedCFamC1F95 – property proceedings disputing the length of a de facto relationship and significant adverse credit findings
• Masters and Pedrosa (no 2) [2024] FedCFamC1F 396 – concerning false allegations to police and DCJ of child being at risk of harm made by a parent about the care of the other parent
• Jin and Jin [2022] FedCfamC1F 927 – concerning complex allegations of sexual abuse made by a child against a parent
• Seto & Poon[2021] FamCA 288 (11 May 2021) – concerning commercial surrogacy and parental status
• Nadkarni & Nadkarni[20210 FamCAFC 160 (9 August 2011) – concerning the apprehension of bias and the grounds for a judge to disqualify themselves
• SB v Parramatta Children’s Court [2007] NSWSC 1297 – concerning the denial of procedural fairness / natural justice and the grounds for making care orders in care and protection proceedings
• KF v Parramatta Children’s Court & Ors[2008] NSWSC 1131 – concerning expert evidence and the meaning of publication in care and protection proceedings