Archives

Craig Brickwood



Profile

Craig practices exclusively in family law. He has experience across a broad range of family law issues, including complex financial (including child support and maintenance) and parenting disputes.
Craig graduated from Macquarie University with a Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honours.
Prior to being called to the Bar in 2023, Craig was a Partner at a top tier specialist family law firm in Sydney, and a family law specialist accredited by the Law Society of NSW. Craig has been recognised in the Doyle’s Guide as a rising star in the NSW family law market.
Craig served as a NSW Police Officer from 2002 to 2011. His policing career provided him with invaluable experience dealing with family violence, post separation conflict and apprehended domestic violence orders. He acquired exceptional investigation skills during his service.
Craig accepts briefs to appear in city, regional and interstate registries of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia.

Nick Bateman



Profile

Nick Bateman was called to the Bar in 2022. Prior to joining the Bar, Nick was a Senior Associate in a top tier family law firm.

During his time as a solicitor, Nick conducted complex litigation in relation to both property matters and parenting disputes. He also has extensive experience in alternative dispute resolution, including arbitration and mediation.

Nick appears in registries of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia around the country, as well as the Children’s Court of New South Wales and Supreme Court of New South Wales.

Nick is recognised in Best Lawyers Australia 2024 and 2025 for his practice in Family Law.

Sarwa Abdelraheem



Profile

Sarwa Abdelraheem was called to the Bar in 2019 and is a member of the NSW Bar Association and the Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia.

Prior to coming to the Bar, Sarwa was admitted as a solicitor in 2006. As a solicitor she practiced largely in family law matters working both as a solicitor and solicitor advocate. Sarwa worked in various private firms, at the South West Sydney Legal Centre and was principal of a private law firm for over 7 years.

Sarwa has obtained a degree in Law at the University of Technology Sydney and a Masters of Law with a Family Law Major through the College of Law. Sarwa also holds a degree in Communication with a Film Production Major.

Sarwa accepts both private and Legal Aid briefs in all family law and care and protections matters. She has appeared in the Family Court, Federal Circuit Court, Children’s Court and District Court. Sarwa holds an AIFLAM accreditation as an arbitrator.
Sarwa is currently serving on the Bar Association Family Law Committee and as a committee member of the Greater West Family Law Practitioners Association.

Janai Tabbernor



Profile

Janai Tabbernor was admitted to the Bar in 2019, joining Waratah Chambers as a reader with Chris Othen. She is a member of the NSW Bar Association.

Janai comes to the bar after spending two years as the Legal Associate to the Hon. Justice Ryan, Judge of the (then) Full Court of the Family Court of Australia.

Since coming to the bar Janai has primarily acted in a broad range of family law disputes, including complex property (including for third parties) and parenting matters, and advised and appeared in matters in respect of forum and jurisdiction. She has particular expertise in appellate matters from her time as a Legal Associate in the Full Court.

Janai has appeared in the city, suburban and regional Family Law Courts and Federal Circuit Courts, in cross-vesting matters in the NSW Supreme Court, the Children’s Court and in NCAT matters in respect of Child Support. Janai also accepts briefs in the areas of employment, estate and family provision law.

Prior to her time as a Legal Associate Janai was a graduate solicitor at the Crown Solicitors’ Office working in the Inquiries and Torts teams, and has worked as a paralegal at a specialist immigration law firm.

Prior to studying law Janai worked as a Senior Policy Advisor to various federal and NSW Ministers and Shadow Ministers.

Claire Cantrall



Profile

Claire Cantrall was admitted to the Bar in 2014 and is a member of the NSW Bar Association. Prior to coming to the bar, Claire was admitted as a solicitor in 2009 and practiced largely in the area of family law, working as both solicitor and solicitor advocate.

Claire has extensive experience in the Family Law jurisdiction, having acted for parties and children in parenting matters as well as acting in property matters. Claire has appeared before the Full Court of the Family Court of Australia, the Family Court of Australia, the Federal Circuit Court of Australia, the NSW Supreme Court and the Children’s Court of NSW in various Registries.

Claire has appeared in country sittings of the Family Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court of Australia throughout NSW.

Claire regularly delivers Continuing Legal Education in family law covering various legal topics, including presentations for the Law Society of NSW, the College of Law and NSW Young Lawyers Family Law Seminars.

Claire was recently named by the Doyle’s Guide as one of the pre-eminent Family Law Junior Counsel in New South Wales and Australia and has contributed to the Council of Law Reporting for NSW Family Law project.

Michael Kearney SC



Profile

Michael Kearney was admitted to the New South Wales Bar in January 2000 and appointed Senior Counsel in October 2012. Michael practised as a solicitor from 1994 until 2000. Since admission as a legal practitioner he has practised predominantly in the area of family law.

The majority of Mr Kearney’s practice is in the area of family law, encompassing all issues including complex financial and parenting disputes. Michael has a particular speciality in appellate work in the Full Court of the Family Court of Australia throughout Australia and also appears in the NSW Court of Appeal and High Court of Australia.

Mr Kearney also acts as a mediator and is an accredited arbitrator and a member of the Australian Institute of Family Law Arbitrators and Mediators.

Mr Kearney is currently the Chair of the Family Law Committee of the Australian Bar Association and has been the New South Wales Barrister representative on, and Treasurer and Deputy Chair of, the Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia; a Member of the New South Wales Bar Association,  Chair of the Family Law Committee of the Association and a member of its Professional Conduct Committee and the NSW Bar News Committee; Appeals Editor of the Australian Family Lawyer; and a Casenote Editor of the CCH publication ‘Current Family Law’.

Mr Kearney is a frequent presenter of seminars to the legal profession and has published numerous articles in the family law area.

Since 2015 Mr Kearney has been consistently recognised by the Doyles Guide as one of the pre-eminent family law Senior Counsel in New South Wales and Australia.

Catherine Spain



Profile

Catherine Spain graduated from Sydney University and was admitted as a solicitor in 1994. She was called to the Bar in 2012. Since that time she has practised exclusively in the area of family law.

Catherine appears regularly in both parenting and financial proceedings in the Federal Circuit Court of Australia and the Family Court of Australia throughout NSW.

Catherine was recently named by the Doyle’s Guide as one of the recommended Family & Divorce Law Junior Counsel in Australia.

Catherine has been a member of the New South Wales Bar Association Family Law Committee and a contributing editor to the Lexis Nexis Family Law Reports. Catherine has also published articles in the New South Wales Law Society Journal and presents CLE seminars to family law solicitors. Articles/presentations include:

NSW Law Society Journal: Child relocation – decision should not be unilateral, June 2013

Auslaw Family Law Conference: Practical aspects of relocation cases, November 2013

NSW Law Society Journal: Family Court confirms that the notion of special skills belongs in the past, July 2015

Auslaw Family Law Conference: International Child Abduction and the 60 Minutes Debacle, July 2016

Learned Friends Conference, London: Spousal maintenance claims – different jurisdictions, different approaches, September 2016

 

Esther Lawson



Profile

Esther Lawson was admitted to the NSW Bar in 2005.

Esther is a trained nationally accredited mediator and is a member of the Australian Institute of Family Law Arbitrators and Mediators (AIFLAM). She accepts briefs to appear as a mediator in parenting and property matters.

As a barrister, the majority of Esther’s practice is in the areas of family law, care and protection law and adoption law.

Recognised in 2022 by her peers in the Doyle’s Guide as a ‘preeminent’ barrister in parenting and children’s matters and a ‘leading’ barrister in general family law matters.

Recognised in 2021 by her peers in the Doyle’s Guide as a ‘leading’ barrister in parenting and children’s matters as well as a ‘leading’ barrister in general family law matters.

Recognised in 2020 by her peers in the Doyle’s Guide as a ‘preeminent’ barrister in parenting and children’s matters.

Recognised in 2019 and 2020 by her peers in the Doyle’s Guide as a ‘leading’ family law barrister.

Recognised in 2016, 2017, and 2018 by her peers in the Doyle’s Guide as a ‘recommended’ family law barrister.

Esther has appeared in the Full Court of the Family Court, the 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 Family Court, the Federal Circuit Court 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 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 – concerning who is the parent in artificial insemination procedures
  • Seto & Poon [2021] FamCA 288 (11 May 2021) – concerning commercial surrogacy
  • Nadkarni & Nadkarni [20210 FamCAFC 160 (9 August 2011) – concerning 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 the meaning of publication in care and protection proceedings

Stephen Gardiner



Profile

Mr Gardiner was called to the Bar in 2003. Since then he has developed an extensive practice in family law and related areas. He regularly conducts property matters in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. His experience includes acting in proceedings for adjustment of interests in property for high wealth individuals. He has acted in matters concerning disputed disclosure and contested valuations and cases involving financial disputes between de facto and marital couples.

Mr Gardiner has also developed considerable experience in parenting and child welfare matters. He has appeared for parents, family members, carers, as counsel for independent representatives and for the state of NSW. He has extensive experience at both trial and appellate levels. Mr Gardiner has appeared in complex and urgent cases in the Supreme Court when it has invoked its parens patriae jurisdiction.

While Mr Gardiner’s primary area of practice is family law, he also practices in administrative and commercial law. He represents clients at mediations, informal settlement conferences, in courts and tribunals (both State and Federal) and on country circuits.

Before coming to the Bar, Mr Gardiner obtained degrees in Arts and Law at the Australian National University. He then worked for a Supreme Court Justice for a year then practiced at a national law firm for five years conducting litigation.

Mr Gardiner is a member of the NSW Bar Association and the Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia.

Peter Batey



Profile

Peter was called to the Bar in 1981. Since admission he has practiced predominantly in the area of family law, throughout NSW, interstate and overseas. He is a founding member of Waratah Chambers.

Peter’s experience is vast in all areas of Family Law from parenting to complex financial matters, and he is a revered member of the NSW Bar taking many Readers under his wing during his time in practice including several of the current members of Waratah Chambers.

Peter’s areas of practice include the Family Court, Federal Circuit Court, Full Court of the Family Court (Appeals) and CTTT Building and Engineering disputes.

Peter is a member of the Australian Institute of Family Law Arbitrators and Mediators and holds AIFLAM accreditation as both a mediator and arbitrator. He is also a member of the Family Law Section of The Law Council of Australia and Chairperson and founding member of the Family Court Observation Watch.

Peter was recently named by the Doyle’s Guide as one of the preeminent Family Law Junior Counsel in Australia.