Liza Friedwald, Family Lawyer and Mediator

Liza Friedwald, Family Lawyer and Mediator Practical Family Law. Human Approach. Consulting Principal Keypoint Law | Former Barrister | 20+ Years Exp
Gold Coast and Brisbane | Helping Aus-Wide

18/08/2026

AI can feel private. It may not be.

Putting confidential legal advice, financial information or details about your children into an AI platform can create privacy and strategic risks.

AI can also misunderstand facts, invent information or confidently give advice that does not apply to your situation.

Before pasting anything into an AI chat, ask yourself: would I be comfortable if someone else saw this?

Use AI carefully - and never treat it as a substitute for legal advice.

General information only, not legal advice.

28/07/2026

You can own half a house and still have nowhere to sleep tonight.

That is the difficult reality highlighted by new ABC reporting on the financial cost of leaving domestic violence.

Anglicare estimates the immediate cost of leaving and establishing some stability has risen to $7,017. That can include bond, temporary accommodation, transport, utilities and basic household items.

But there is another issue that often gets overlooked.

A person may have a significant legal interest in the family home or broader property pool - and still have no money they can safely access today.

Property settlement deals with longer-term financial entitlements. It does not necessarily solve the immediate problem of paying for accommodation, replacing essential belongings, or supporting children during the first weeks after separation.

That is why early planning should not focus only on the eventual percentage division. It should also consider what money is safely and lawfully available for the next 72 hours, the next month, and the period until a settlement is reached.

Every situation is different, and financial steps should always be informed by personal safety and legal advice.

Source: ABC News, 28 July 2026.

Read the article: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07-28/immediate-cost-to-leave-domestic-violence-relationships-revealed/106943154

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s youngest children have now turned 18, reportedly bringing the custody arrangements concer...
17/07/2026

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s youngest children have now turned 18, reportedly bringing the custody arrangements concerning their children to an end.

In Australia, these arrangements are generally dealt with through parenting orders.

Parenting orders can cover where a child lives, the time they spend with each parent and who makes decisions about important long-term issues. They generally stop having effect when a child turns 18.

But the impact of years of parental conflict does not necessarily end on their 18th birthday.

Before pursuing the next parenting dispute, ask:

Does my child genuinely need this change - and can I seek it without putting them in the middle?

Sometimes Court intervention is necessary, particularly where there are safety concerns or an important issue cannot be resolved.

But where the dispute is really about control, fairness between parents or winning, the long-term cost may be the child’s relationship with one or both parents.

The legal arrangements may end when a child turns 18.

The way parents conduct themselves during the dispute can affect the family for much longer.

General information only. The Jolie-Pitt proceedings occurred overseas and Australian law is different.

After so many family law matters, I’ve heard almost every argument imaginable.So here’s some completely unofficial relat...
10/07/2026

After so many family law matters, I’ve heard almost every argument imaginable.

So here’s some completely unofficial relationship advice… 😂

Disclaimer: This is satire. Please don’t rely on this as legal advice… although the wine column has a surprisingly good success rate. 🍷

DIARISE THIS DATE For those who have a safety phone hidden, this event might expose it. Plan now to avoid issues later. ...
03/07/2026

DIARISE THIS DATE For those who have a safety phone hidden, this event might expose it. Plan now to avoid issues later.

25/06/2026

Divorce is not the starting gun for sorting out property.

A lot of people delay financial discussions because they assume they need to be formally divorced first.

But in most cases, property settlement and divorce are separate processes.

The tactical issue is this:

Waiting can allow uncertainty to build.

Assets may change.
Debts may increase.
Bank accounts may shift.
People may make decisions without a clear financial plan.

So the better question is not:

“Are we divorced yet?”

It is:

“Do we understand our financial position, our options, and what needs to be protected now?”

You do not always need to rush into an agreement.

But waiting for the wrong reason can cost you time, money and leverage.

If you have separated, it may be worth getting advice about property settlement before assuming divorce has to happen first.

General information only. Please obtain advice about your own circumstances.

24/06/2026

The trial is over… but that does not always mean you get a decision straight away.

In many family law matters, the Judge may reserve their judgment. That means they take time to consider the evidence, the documents, the law and the submissions before making a decision.

The matter may then come back before the Court for a judgment hearing.

A judgment hearing is not about arguing the case again. It is where the Court delivers the decision and explains the orders being made.

For clients, this stage can feel confusing because the “big day in court” has already happened - but the outcome is still unknown.

The practical takeaway?

After trial, it is important to understand that there may still be a waiting period, and once judgment is delivered, you need to get advice about what the orders mean, what steps need to be taken, and whether there are any appeal issues.

Family law proceedings do not always end the moment the trial finishes.

Sometimes, the most important part comes after.

This is general information only, not legal advice.

19/06/2026

Over the years, I've spoken with a lot of people who are trying to make sense of how their relationship ended up at the point of separation.

Every situation is different, but there are a few themes that come up time and time again.

Here are three I hear often.

1. They slowly started living separate lives.

They were still under the same roof. Still raising children together. Still managing all the day-to-day responsibilities.

But somewhere along the way, they stopped really sharing life with each other.

A lot of people describe feeling more like housemates than partners.

2. They stopped having difficult conversations.

This one catches people off guard.

It's easy to assume that constant arguments are the biggest warning sign.

But sometimes it's the opposite.

The conversations that need to happen just don't happen at all. Issues get pushed aside, feelings go unspoken, and over time the distance grows.

3. They stayed because making a decision felt too hard.

I hear this more often than people might expect.

Things weren't necessarily bad enough to force a change. But they weren't making either person happy.

So life carried on. One year became the next.

And eventually the relationship ended, not because of one major event, but because the connection had gradually faded over time.

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Gold Coast, QLD

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