Simon is a special counsel in Lander & Rogers' family and relationship law team. He was admitted to practice in 2011 and has since dedicated his career almost exclusively to family and relationship law. With over a decade of experience, Simon has developed a reputation for his expertise in handling complex and sensitive cases.
Prior to joining Lander & Rogers, Simon spent over seven years at one of Sydney's leading family law firms. His prior experience also includes working at a suburban law firm, where he practised across a range of legal areas. This diverse background has equipped Simon with a comprehensive understanding of the landscape facing separated couples.
Simon is dedicated to delivering direct, insightful, and commercially astute advice in a clear and approachable way. His clients appreciate being well-informed and supported throughout their journey. Simon excels at relating to clients and explaining complex concepts in a simple, understandable manner. He prioritises strategic, early settlements to resolve issues efficiently, reducing the need for litigation and the associated stress.
If a matter progresses to litigation, Simon is a seasoned advocate who provides strong and effective representation. His courtroom expertise ensures that clients are confidently guided and well-represented throughout the legal process.
Experience
Simon represents clients across Australia and overseas. His areas of expertise include:
- parenting matters, including matters involving high conflict, parental alienation, domestic violence, school non-attendance, relocations both interstate and overseas, drug, alcohol and mental health-related issues, and child abductions
- financial matters, including complex and straightforward asset pools, including third-party interests, trust and corporate entitles, enforcement applications, inheritance and family wealth issues, wastage and valuation issues
- prenuptial and post-separation binding financial agreements
- child support matters including reassessments, departure applications, binding child support agreements and proceedings before the Administrative Appeals Tribunal
- divorce applications, particularly in relation to defended hearings and substituted service applications
- spousal maintenance arrangements involving high-net worth parties.
Career highlights
Simon's career highlights include:
- successfully obtaining an order to facilitate the relocation of children from metropolitan Sydney to rural New South Wales
- obtaining parenting orders for a father to be the primary parent of a teenage girl in a high-conflict matter involving a significant risk of abuse
- successfully defending an application for a property settlement where the establishment of a de facto relationship was challenged
- establishing the legal precedent in relation to a stay of child support pending an application to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.
FAQs
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.
What will it cost to resolve my family law matter?
Costs in family law matters can be influenced by a number of factors, including the complexity of the issues in dispute and the attitude of the parties to engage in meaningful negotiations to resolve their matter.
When we meet with you, and after hearing about the issues in your case, we will provide you with an estimate of our anticipated legal costs and the options available to you to resolve your matter. We also offer a fixed fee for certain legal services, which may be more appropriate for your particular matter.
How long will it take for me to reach a settlement?
This depends if your matter resolves by consent or if court proceedings are issued.
If you can negotiate an agreement with your former partner outside of court, it can be documented in orders and filed with the court. This is usually faster than issuing court proceedings. You can also formalise a settlement in a binding financial agreement, which we can draft on your behalf.
The court aims to resolve all litigated matters within 12 months of their filing date. However, the timeframe can be longer than this, particularly for complex matters.
View more commonly-asked questions about the legal aspects of family and relationship law in Australia here.