Divorce can be an expensive business, particularly if you have a lot of money. When tech giant Bill Gates divorced his wife Melinda French Gates in 2021, she walked away with $76 billion. Similarly, when Amazon boss Jeff Bezos and his wife MacKenzie Scott split up in 2019, she received $28 billion. And when [...]
Being unable to spend time with grandchildren after a separation or divorce is an emotionally tough time. While Australian family law doesn’t specifically grant grandparents an explicit “legal right” to see their grandchildren, it does recognise the importance of the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren. One of the factors for consideration as to what [...]
From 26 May 2025, coercive control is a criminal offence in Queensland. Identifying the signs of coercive control can be challenging, as it often begins subtly and escalates over time. The abusive behaviors can be discreet, making them difficult to recognise. The individual exerting coercive control may mask their actions or rationalise them, often [...]
Mediation, or family dispute resolution, is a way of resolving your family law problems without going to court. Disagreements in family law, whether it’s about property settlements, or child-custody arrangements, can be distressing. Having to attend a court hearing can exacerbate the emotions involved, and you can opt for mediation at any time including [...]
At Michael Lynch Family Lawyers, we’re proud of the work our lawyers do - not just in the office and courtroom, but in the community as well. One of our team members, Maddison Borg, brings the same dedication and leadership she shows in legal practice to the basketball court, where she volunteers as a [...]
The timing of an inheritance – when it was received – during a relationship is key to deciding if that inheritance is going to be part of a property settlement. If you or your spouse receive an inheritance before your relationship started, or around the time it started, it’s generally considered to be an [...]
During family law proceedings where two people cannot agree, particularly in relation to custody of children, dispute resolution is often ordered by the court. However, in some cases, family dispute resolution is not always the way to go, especially when violence has been a feature of the relationship between family members. In one recent [...]
In March 2019, the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) was amended to include section 102NA. Section 102NA was added with the aim of protecting parties who have been subjected to family violence by the other party to the Court proceedings, from having to be personally crossed examined by them at a Final Hearing. This [...]
When separating or divorcing, many couples focus on dividing physical assets such as the family home, cars, or savings. However, one important aspect of a property settlement that should not be overlooked is superannuation. Superannuation is considered ‘property’ and can be split between parties as part of a property settlement. What is Superannuation Splitting? [...]
We’re proud to announce that Michael Lynch Family Lawyers has once again been recognised in the 2025 edition of the Doyles Guide as one of Brisbane’s Leading Family & Divorce Law Firms. The Doyles Guide is a respected, independent publication that ranks law firms and individual lawyers based on extensive industry research. Its cafeful [...]
