Catherine Hillis

Catherine is an accredited specialist in family law, who practises exclusively in family and relationship law. She was previously employed as a Legal Associate to the Honourable Justice Cronin in the Family Court of Australia. Her understanding of the court complements her strong analytical and commercial skills. Catherine has an empathetic approach and is committed to achieving the best results for her clients.

In 2025, Catherine was named in the national peer review publication, Doyle's Guide, as a Leading Parenting and Children's Matters Lawyer for Victoria. Catherine has experience in all areas of family law from financial agreements, complex financial and property matters to parenting disputes. Prior to working in family law, she worked at a commercial firm, gaining experience in insolvency and banking and finance law. This experience forms the foundation of her strategic approach to family law matters and particularly complex property matters.

Experience

Catherine has experience in all areas of family law from financial agreements, complex financial and property matters to parenting disputes. Prior to working in family law, she worked at a commercial firm, gaining experience in insolvency and banking and finance law. This experience forms the foundation of her strategic approach to family law matters and particularly complex property matters.

Catherine's areas of expertise include:

• property settlements (including negotiated agreements, mediation and defended litigation);
• financial agreements for couples who are in or contemplating a de facto relationship or marriage;
• parenting matters for the care of children, including those that involve interstate and international relocation;
• child support and spousal maintenance matters;
• superannuation split issues;
• family violence intervention orders; and
• divorce.

Catherine has a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Laws (Hons), and Diploma of Modern Languages (Spanish) from the University of Melbourne.

FAQs

What is involved in a first client conference and what do I need to bring with me?

Our initial conference will last approximately one hour. We will discuss the background of your relationship and provide you with advice on how the law applies to your circumstances. If your matter involves financial issues, we will provide you with an estimated range of your potential entitlements, based on the instructions you provide in the meeting. If you have children with your former partner, we will discuss how the court determines parenting arrangements and what an appropriate parenting regime may look like for your family.

Do I have to go to court to resolve my matter?

There are several ways to resolve family law matters without the need for litigation, including direct negotiations with your partner, lawyer-assisted negotiations and private mediation. A combination of these approaches may be utilised depending on the circumstances of the case.