Nicholes Family Lawyers

22/10/2026

One family. Five jurisdictions. Five very different outcomes.

At the 21st National Family Law Conference, the International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL) compared how New Zealand, England and Wales, Hong Kong, Singapore and California deal with property when a marriage ends across borders. Thank you to Suzanne Todd, Isaac Hikaka, Derek Ho, Shu Mei Hoon and Steven Yoda for sharing their insights.

The differences are striking. Some courts look at assets worldwide, while others leave foreign land out of the pool altogether. Some start from equal sharing, while others keep pre-marriage assets and inheritances separate. Even the time you must wait before filing ranges from months to years.

For separating couples with assets or family ties in more than one country, where proceedings start can affect what is divided and how.

If you are advising a client in this situation, our team is happy to talk through the cross-border issues early.

21/10/2026

And that's a wrap on Day 1 of the 21st National Family Law Conference in Hobart!

After a day full of practical sessions, including a deep dive into Binding Financial Agreements, the afternoon closed with a timely plenary: "Wellbeing: A Pillar of Practice", presented by Baroness Mills of Greenwich KC, Joint Head of Chambers at 4PB and 2025 Chair of the Bar Council of England and Wales, and chaired by Jason Walker, Chair of the Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia.

Family law is demanding work, and we often carry the weight of our clients' most difficult moments. It was a valuable reminder that looking after ourselves isn't separate from good practice.

We are so looking forward to today's sessions, starting with "Kennon and Family Violence in Property Settlements: A Post-Reform Analysis".

21/10/2026

Today, at the 21st National Family Law Conference in Hobart, our team attended Stephen Bourke's session on splitting Self Managed Super Funds (SMSF) and the hidden risks in implementation.

With $1.064 trillion held across 680,301 SMSFs, and more than 52,000 new funds established in 2025/26 alone, SMSFs are now central to many family law property settlements.

The session covered:

- The responsibilities of trustees and directors when a relationship breaks down
- The rise of crypto and other non-traditional assets in SMSFs
- Valuation approaches for single-member and two-member funds
- Access to fund and trust documents during proceedings

These are issues where family law intersects with financial advice, accounting and commercial practice, and we value working alongside our referral partners on them.

Thank you, Stephen, for a practical and insightful session.

21/10/2026

Voting is now open for the2026 Inside Family Law Awards!

Principal Sally Nicholes has been named a Finalist in the 'Excellence' category, and Nicholes Family Lawyers has been nominated in the Leading Family Law Team category.

If you would like to show your support, please cast your vote before the 26 November via the Inside Family Law Awards Website.

Thank you to Zoe Paterson and the team at Inside Family Law for this nomination and congratulations to all of this year's finalists.

20/10/2026

Nadine Udorovic, Principal Lawyer arrived in Hobart yesterday to join Sally Nicholes, Principal, at Nicholes Family Lawyers for the 21st National Family Law Conference.

The programme is full for the next three days with judges, barristers and specialists from across Australia and overseas, presenting on the issues shaping complex financial and children’s matters.

We will share the conference highlights as we go!

Pictured: Mary Anne Ryan, President of the Tasmanian Bar, Baroness Barbara Mills KC of Greenwich, Founder and Principal Sally Nicholes and Principal Lawyer Nadine Udorovic

20/10/2026

Principal Sally Nicholes is in Hobart today for the Sixth National Independent Children's Lawyers' Conference.

Sally had the privilege of spending the day learning with colleagues from across the country about trauma-informed practice, coercive control and keeping children's voices at the centre of family law.

Thank you to National Legal Aid for hosting such an important event.

16/10/2026

When a parent tells a school they have sole parental responsibility, the school should not act on that assertion alone. Unless a court order provides otherwise, both parents generally have parental responsibility and are entitled to communicate with the school and receive information about their child. Schools should ask to see the relevant court order, check whether it is a binding order or a parenting plan, and look for any provisions about school attendance, reports, collection or contact with staff.

Read our blog to see how schools can manage parental responsibility, share information safely and avoid common mistakes here: https://nicholeslaw.com.au/a-parent-says-they-have-sole-parental-responsibility-what-should-your-school-do/

14/10/2026

Australia has joined 20 other countries in standing up for LGBTIQ+ activists and human rights defenders around the world.

Through the Equal Rights Coalition, governments have called out the use of “protecting children” and “the family” as excuses to target LGBTIQ+ advocates and committed to protecting those fighting for equality.

No one should face persecution for standing up for human rights.

13/10/2026

Tasmania is planning for a nationwide domestic violence register.

Click the article to learn more.

CW: This post discusses domestic violence and death.

Alicia Little was a 41-year-old mother of four from Kyneton. She was killed in December 2017.

Her family says her partner had a history of domestic violence in NSW, but when he moved to Victoria, none of that history followed him.

This week, leaders across Australia have been saying they have "zero tolerance" for domestic violence. For Alicia's family, that should mean a perpetrator's history doesn't disappear at a state border.

Tasmania is now moving to create a public register of serial family violence offenders, and its proposed laws would let courts consider convictions from any state. Alicia's aunt, Cindy Miller, has started a petition calling for states to work together so a perpetrator's record follows them everywhere. More than 58,000 people have signed.

If you think a domestic violence history should follow perpetrators across state borders, you can read more and support the petition here: https://vist.ly/5mgu7

If you or someone you know is affected by domestic violence, support is available through 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732.

09/10/2026

We are delighted to share that Principal Sally Nicholes has been named a Finalist in the 2026 Inside Family Law Awards ‘Excellence’ category.

Additionally, the firm has been nominated in the Leading Family Law Team category of the 2026 Inside Family Law Awards.

Thank you to the team at Inside Family Law!