Sarah is a Special Counsel in the Brisbane office of Lander & Rogers' Family & Relationship Law practice. Having worked exclusively in family law since 2008, Sarah is a trusted advisor to her wide network of clients based in Queensland and internationally.
When working with Sarah you can expect measured, strategic advice. Sarah recognises that there are many ways to resolve family law matters and relies on her extensive experience to provide solutions to clients that align with their values and priorities.
Sarah is consistently recognised in peer review publications as a leader in family law. She was named a leading parenting & children's matter lawyer in the 2024 edition of Doyle's Guide, and a Rising Star in the 2018-2022 editions.
Sarah is a member of Queensland's Family Law Accreditation Advisory Committee and the Family Law Practitioners Association. She regularly contributes to industry publications and appears as a panellist at events to share insights on topical family law issues.
Experience
Sarah works with clients involved in a broad range of family and relationship disputes, both in Australia and overseas. Her experience includes:
- complex parenting matters involving those in the specialist Magellan list of the court, where there are allegations of serious risk to children
- complex and high-net worth property matters involving multiple corporate and trust entities, family businesses and superannuation interests
- drafting and reviewing prenuptial binding financial agreements, particularly to protect family and intergenerational wealth
- representing clients at appeal hearings
- international family law, including Hague Convention applications, child relocation and recovery matters, and forum disputes.
Career highlights
Sarah's career highlights include:
- acting in international relocation matters, including matters involving the recovery of children pursuant to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction and successfully applying for and defending against orders permitting children's interstate and international relocation
- obtaining urgent recovery, interim property, spousal maintenance and sole occupation orders
- acting in court proceedings to determine whether prenuptial financial agreements should be upheld or set aside
- successfully obtaining injunctive relief for the retrieval of joint funds unilaterally removed by one party
- acting in complex parenting and property matters in which clients have experienced family violence and matters involving drug and alcohol addiction, including obtaining change of residence orders
- advising and acting for high-net worth clients with complex corporate and trust structures
- resolving matters at mediation, seeing clients avoid the costs and consequences of litigation.
FAQs
What options are available to resolve my matter without going to court?
There are several ways to resolve your family law matter. Our advice on the most appropriate pathway will depend on several factors, including your family's circumstances, the issues in dispute and the nature of your relationship with your former partner. Some matters can be resolved through direct lawyer-to-lawyer negotiations. Many matters are finalised at a mediation, where discussions take place between the legal representatives for each party, facilitated by an independent meditator. Where an agreement is reached through these avenues, it can be formalised in court orders or in a binding financial agreement, without going to court.
I don't know what assets or liabilities my partner has. Can you help me?
Parties to family law matters in Australia are required, by law, to provide full and frank disclosure of their financial positions. This includes all assets and liabilities to which they have an interest. When you engage us, one of the first steps we usually take is to write to your former partner requesting the provision of financial disclosure. Where court proceedings have been issued, it is possible to seek the production of financial records by filing subpoenas to relevant financial institutions or corporate entities.
I want to protect my assets from a future relationship breakdown. How can I do that?
The most effective way of preserving your current or future asset holdings is to enter into a binding financial agreement with your current partner. These types of agreements are like contracts, setting out how your assets will be divided, if at all, should you separate. There are strict legislative requirements that must be followed for a financial agreement to be legally binding. We strongly recommend contacting one of our specialist family lawyers for advice before entering into a financial agreement.