MFL

Parenting Laws

Parenting law covers a diverse and often sensitve range of topics from parental responsibility to child support, including De Facto relationships, LGBTI Family Law, Adoption and Surrogacy.

With over 60 years experience
Mathews Family Law understand foremost the need to know your options, provide expediant solutions and putting the children best interests first.
Mathews Family Law provides advice and representation in relation to parenting related Family Law matters

How We Can Help

Whatever your family circumstances, Mathews Family Law advise and prepare
you in all areas of parent related law providing knowledge and resources.

We will help you reach agreements about parenting arrangements and to assist you to formalise arrangements through consent orders. We can also guide you
through parenting co-ordination and mediation to negotiate the best outcome.
In the event agreements can not be reached we provide experienced litigation
to advocate for you and your children

First Steps

If you are just seeking early advice about your options, or looking to begin a particular process simply book an appointment or or fill in our online form for an initial free 15 minute consult.

We know taking time away from work or commitments can be difficult and are happy to conference whenever suits you.

Get Started Book A Free Consult

Mathews
Family Law
Parenting
Related
Services

Children and Parenting

  • Parental responsibility
  • Living arrangements (custody &access)
  • Relocation
  • Rights of grandparents and others

Child Support, Child Maintenance
And Adult Child Maintenance

  • Child Support Agency change
    of assessment process
  • Payments for children and adult children
  • Binding Child Support Agreements

De Facto Relationships
LGBTI Related Family Law

Australian & International
Adoption

Surrogacy and Fertility Law

  • Domestic surrogacy arrangements
  • Parentage Orders in Australia
  • Preparing Surrogacy and donor agreements
  • Advising on international arrangements
  • Family Law orders for cross border surrogacy

International Family
Law Disputes

  • International relocation
  • International child abduction
  • Hague Convention
  • Registration of overseas parenting orders
  • International child support
  • Registration and enforcement of overseas
    child and spousal maintenance orders
  • International service of legal documents.

Calculators

Numbers Tool

Child Support, Assets Divison & More

Resource Hub

Articles/Blog

Everything you need to know.

Your Rights

Video/Vlog

Your questions answered.

Vanessa Mathews
Managing Director FDRP and Mediator
BCOMM BSW LLB

Accredited Family Law Specialist, FDRP,
Mediator and Parenting Coordinator

Vanessa Mathews is the founder and managing director of Mathews Family Law & Mediation Specialists, and has the rare combination of social work qualifications and experience, combined with nearly 20 years’ experience as a lawyer and mediator; it makes her approach to resolving legal relationship issues both sensible and sensitive.

She is a fully accredited family law specialist, mediator, family dispute resolution practitioner and parenting coordinator with a commerce degree – adding a financially astute aspect to her practice.

Vanessa has extensive experience in complex issues that arise from relationship breakdown, and works in partnership with her clients,
who regularly describe her as empathetic

Vanessa is an active member of the family law profession and
a member of the:

  •  Law Institute of Victoria, Family Law Section
  •  Law Council of Australia, Family Law Section
  •  Resolution Institute
  •  Australian Institute of Family Law Arbitrators and Mediators
  • National Mediation Accreditation System
  •  Relationships Australia Family Lawyers Panel
  • Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers
  •  Relationships Australia / Federal Circuit Court ‘Access Resolve’ Mediation Service
  • Relationships Australia ‘Property Mediation’ Service

Vanessa and Mathews Family Law & Mediation Specialists
are regularly recognised as a ‘Leading Victorian Family
Lawyer’, ‘Recommended Family Law Mediator’ and a
‘Leading Victorian Family Law Firm’ by Doyle’s Guide to
the Australian Legal Profession.

Get Started With Vanessa

Book A Free Consult

Vanessa Mathews
Managing Director FDRP and Mediator
BCOMM BSW LLB

Accredited Family Law Specialist, FDRP,
Mediator and Parenting Coordinator

Vanessa Mathews is the founder and managing director of Mathews Family Law & Mediation Specialists, and has the rare combination of social work qualifications and experience, combined with nearly 20 years’ experience as a lawyer and mediator; it makes her approach to resolving legal relationship issues both sensible and sensitive.

She is a fully accredited family law specialist, mediator, family dispute resolution practitioner and parenting coordinator with a commerce degree – adding a financially astute aspect to her practice.

Vanessa has extensive experience in complex issues that arise from relationship breakdown, and works in partnership with her clients,
who regularly describe her as empathetic

Vanessa is an active member of the family law profession and
a member of the:

  •  Law Institute of Victoria, Family Law Section
  •  Law Council of Australia, Family Law Section
  •  Resolution Institute
  •  Australian Institute of Family Law Arbitrators and Mediators
  • National Mediation Accreditation System
  •  Relationships Australia Family Lawyers Panel
  • Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers
  •  Relationships Australia / Federal Circuit Court ‘Access Resolve’ Mediation Service
  • Relationships Australia ‘Property Mediation’ Service

Vanessa and Mathews Family Law & Mediation Specialists
are regularly recognised as a ‘Leading Victorian Family
Lawyer’, ‘Recommended Family Law Mediator’ and a
‘Leading Victorian Family Law Firm’ by Doyle’s Guide to
the Australian Legal Profession.

Get Started With Vanessa

Book A Free Consult