Harwood Andrews is delighted to have been identified by clients and peers for expertise and abilities for Victoria in the 2025 Doyle’s Guide. Doyle's Guide is a highly regarded independent annual peer review of the leading corporate law firms and lawyers in Victoria.

Harwood Andrews is delighted to have been identified by clients and peers for expertise and abilities for Victoria in the 2022 Doyle’s Guide.

As family law practitioners we often see social media posts and screenshots used in evidence in family law disputes.

On 1 March 2021 the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Act 2021 and the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2021 was given Royal Assent.

We are very proud to have been recognised as leading Family & Divorce law practice and two of our Lawyers Lisa Hunt, Principal (Preeminent) and Linton Drever, Counsel (Recommended).

The parenting arrangements for children of separated parents can be difficult to navigate at the best of times. So, what happens when a global pandemic is also a factor in these parenting arrangements?

Whilst there is no specific family law legislation to cover the current covid-19 crisis, if there are Family Law Orders in place with respect to your parenting arrangements, you must seek to comply with those Orders.

Parents must carefully consider their ongoing responsibility for school fees after divorce.

The cost of private secondary school fees – along with those at the primary schools that act as feeders for them – can cause complications even in intact relationships. When couples are separating or divorced, the question of who is responsible for what percentage of school fees can become significantly complex.

In a world where the internet and technology have progressed to a place where a relationship can be started with a simple ‘swipe’, ‘like’ or ‘snap’ on social media, it doesn’t seem too hard to believe that a relationship can breakdown over a ‘screenshot’ or ‘instant message’. 

As the entertainment media lights up like a Christmas tree with headlines of the split of power couple ‘Brangelina’ and news that Angelina will file for divorce and ‘physical’ custody of their 6 children, many are left asking what this all means.

Separating from your partner can be a painful and disruptive time. While many separated couples may want to distance themselves from each other, it is important to organise arrangements for your children (if you have them) and the division of your property.

On 1 September 2015, new powers of attorney came into effect in Victoria.

In the following article we outline some of the changes that now apply.

On 1 September 2015, the Powers of Attorney Act 2014 (The Act) introduced new civil and criminal penalties for misuse of an enduring power of attorney. The penalties include a fine of up to $91,000 or up to five years imprisonment.

Congratulations to Facebook for introducing a system to allow some management of a person’s Facebook account after the person’s death.

In Victoria the law prevents a person who has unlawfully killed another person from benefiting under the deceased person’s will.  This is called the Forfeiture Rule.  An exception applies where the killer is found not guilty by reason of mental impairment.

On 30 July 2014 the Australian Taxation Office issued Taxation Ruling TR 2014/5 (previously released in draft form as TR 2013/D6) addressing the taxation effect of an order by the Family Court under section 79 of the Family Law Act 1975 for a private company to pay money or transfer property to a shareholder or their associate.