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Family Law Specialists and Practitioners in Victoria

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FLAV facilitates connections between family law specialists and practitioners in Victoria, offering opportunities to share knowledge, work together and enhance understanding. Meet our committee and executive below, then contact us to find out more.
Peter_Carew
PRESIDENT

Peter Carew

Carew Counsel Solicitors
I have been practising law since admission in 1978 and been an accredited specialist since 1990.
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Nicky_Neville_Jones
VICE PRESIDENT

Nicky Neville – Jones

KCL Law

My name is Nicky Neville Jones, I am a Principal and Accredited Family Law Specialist at KCL Law.

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SECRETARY

Angela Guest

Glezer Lanteri & Associates

Since being Admitted in 2008, Angela has practised exclusively in Family Law. She is an Accredited Family Law Specialist and holds a Masters of Applied Law (Family Law) Degree.  Angela currently holds the role of Special Counsel at Glezer Lanteri and Associates, where she has worked for over 14 years.

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TREASURER

Nicole Le Pou

Accessible Family Law

Nicole has practiced in family law since her admission in 2003 and spent 6 years at Victoria Legal Aid as a senior family lawyer.

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Keleigh_Robinsons

Keleigh Robinson

Carew Counsel Solicitors
Keleigh is a Principal Lawyer at Carew Counsel Solicitors and has a wide range of experience in family law.
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Chloe_McGuinness

Chloe McGuinness

Solution Focused Separation
Chloe McGuinness is an accredited family law specialist and the founder and director of Solution Focused Separation.
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Joe_Buckley

Joe Buckley

Vista Mediation
Joe is the Principal solicitor and mediator at Vista Mediation, a firm specialising in Collaborative Law and Family Dispute Resolution services.
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Natasha Papasavas

P&P Lawyers
Natasha Papasavas is the sole practitioner of P and P Lawyers, a boutique firm she established in 2019 to provide dedicated, expert representation exclusively in family law.
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Shai Sommer

Lander & Rogers

An Accredited Specialist in Family Law and a qualified Collaborative Practice Professional, Shai is committed to helping clients navigate through a separation with dignity and respect.

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Ashleigh Morris

Patterson's List Barristers

Ashleigh is a Melbourne-based barrister, practising primarily in family law with a strong emphasis on trial advocacy. Her practice encompasses complex parenting and property disputes, with a significant portion of her work involving contested hearings and trials.

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Thirumalai Selvi (Shelvi) Shanmugam

Shan Lawyers

Shelvi is the founding Legal Director and Principal Lawyer of Shan Lawyers, where she practises predominantly in family law. She advises on complex family law matters, including parenting disputes, international relocation, family violence and protection orders, and high-conflict financial and asset matters.

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Contact us to join our community of family law practitioners.
Contact
PRESIDENT

Peter Carew

Carew Counsel Solicitors
Peter_Carew

I have been practising law since admission in 1978 and been an accredited specialist since 1990. In my 46 years I have observed many changes in the profession but the one that concerned me most was the diminishing lack of respect that seems to have crept into the way we practise law. I rarely receive a phone call from anyone acting for an opposing party at the commencement of proceedings and there seems to be very few opportunities to discuss a matter to minimise the issues before the Court. Online court hearings may be more convenient (indeed they were absolutely necessary during Covid) but they have extinguished a long-time tradition of standing a matter down and having a conversation with your opponent with a view to reducing the issues before the Court. These face-to-face exchanges were usually done over coffee and created an environment where respect and friendship flourished. My hope is that FLAV will bring back the respectful first phone call and create an environment where respect and friendship can flourish.

VICE PRESIDENT

Nicky Neville – Jones

KCL Law
Nicky_Neville_Jones

My name is Nicky Neville Jones, I am an Accredited Specialist Family Lawyer and Senior Lawyer at Emera Family Law. I am the Co-founding Chair of the Family Violence Working Group and Chair of the Executive Committee of the Family Law Section at the Law Institute of Victoria.

I am also the Founding Chair of the Law Institute’s Animal Law and Welfare Committee and a volunteer lawyer at the Animal Law Institute.

I have a passion for advocating for family violence law reform, including advocating for better protections for affected family members and their pets.

In my spare time, I undertake creative and performing arts projects, which include being the Artistic Director for BottledSnail Productions, a production company for creatives in the legal profession.

Angela Guest

Glezer Lanteri & Associates

Since being Admitted in 2008, Angela has practised exclusively in Family Law. She is an Accredited Family Law Specialist and holds a Masters of Applied Law (Family Law) Degree.  Angela currently holds the role of Special Counsel at Glezer Lanteri and Associates, where she has worked for over 14 years. She has a particular interest in matters involving parental alienation and family violence. 

Angela has always been heavily involved in supporting the profession through her participation in several committees, including acting as an LIV Mentor.

Angela is a Director of the not-for-profit organisation The Guest Nest, which aims to support those who are disadvantaged, with an emphasis on providing assistance to children from lower socio/economic areas. The Guest Nest (in conjunction with Glezer Lanteri) provides free legal assistance to terminally ill single parents/guardians. 

Nicole Le Pou

Accessible Family Law
Nicole has practiced in family law since her admission in 2003. She spent 6 years at Victoria Legal Aid as a senior family lawyer in addition to working in the child support legal service and the children’s court team across child protection and crime. She then commenced locum work which saw her assist family law practice areas in small, medium and large firms in addition to state government departments. Since 2014 she has been the principal lawyer and director of Accessible Family Law where her team works to keep parties out of court.

Keleigh Robinsons

Carew Counsel Solicitors
Keleigh_Robinsons

Keleigh is a Principal Lawyer at Carew Counsel Solicitors and has a wide range of experience in family law. Keleigh is also a co-editor of “The Family Law Book”, a national publication providing legal analysis, advice and precedents to family lawyers.

Working hard to achieve resolutions without litigation, Keleigh joined FLAV to support the reignition of collegiality between family lawyers in Victoria which has been impacted by covid-19 and the advent of the “keyboard warrior”.

Chloe McGuinness

Solution Focused Separation
Chloe_McGuinness

Chloe McGuinness is an accredited family law specialist and the founder and director of Solution Focused Separation. She focuses on non-adversarial dispute resolution, offering personalized legal solutions.

With collaborative training and parenting coordination expertise, Chloe helps families achieve sustainable outcomes with care and professionalism. She is also the current president of the Victorian Association of Collaborative Professionals (VACP).

Joe Buckley

Vista Mediation
Joe_Buckley

Joe is the Principal solicitor and mediator at Vista Mediation, a firm specialising in Collaborative Law and Family Dispute Resolution services. Joe is currently on the Board of the Australian Association of Collaborative Professionals and chair of the National Practice Group.

Joe has served on the committee of the Victorian Association of Collaborative Professionals for many years and is currently Vice President of VACP. Joe is a Nationally Accredited Mediator, Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner and Collaborative Practice lawyer.

Natasha Papasavas

P&P Lawyers

Natasha Papasavas is the sole practitioner of P and P Lawyers, a boutique firm she established in 2019 to provide dedicated, expert representation exclusively in family law. With over two decades of experience, Natasha has honed her skills in family law at two of the largest and most respected firms in the field.

Her extensive background spans complex cases in areas such as custody, financial disclosure, and property settlements, allowing her to offer seasoned guidance tailored to each client’s needs. Driven by a passion for advocating on behalf of families, Natasha is committed to keeping her practice at the forefront of family law.

She has taken an active role in professional development, frequently engaging in continuing education and collaborative legal forums. She is affiliated with the Law Institute of Victoria, where she contributes to industry standards and development, and is a dedicated member of the Hellenic Australian Lawyers Association, connecting her practice with broader legal communities.

Shai Sommer

Lander & Rogers

Shai is a compassionate and pragmatic family lawyer who brings deep expertise and a calm, solution-focused approach to resolving family law matters. 
 
As an Accredited Specialist in Family Law and a qualified Collaborative Practice Professional, Shai is committed to helping his clients navigate through a separation with dignity and respect. 
 
Known for his thoughtful listening and unwavering dedication, Shai works closely with clients to understand what matters most to them. He offers tailored guidance that reflects each client’s unique values and circumstances, and he strives to resolve issues constructively—without resorting to court. When litigation is necessary, he is a determined and strategic advocate.

He was named in the 2025 edition of Doyles Guide as a Leading Family & Divorce Lawyer and in the 2024 edition as a Family Law Rising Star. He was also included in the “Ones to Watch” category of the 2024 and 2025 publication of The Best Lawyers in Australia.

Ashleigh Morris

Patterson's List

Ashleigh is a Melbourne-based barrister, practising primarily in family law with a strong emphasis on trial advocacy. Her practice encompasses complex parenting and property disputes, with a significant portion of her work involving contested hearings and trials. She is regularly briefed across metropolitan and regional courts and accepts briefs for both courtroom advocacy and written advice in family law matters.

 

Before coming to the Bar, Ashleigh practised as a solicitor in family law, and worked as a Judge’s Associate at the County Court of Victoria. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Criminal Justice) from Monash University, for which she was the Dux Litterarum, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Melbourne, where she was a recipient of the Joseph and Eleanor Wertheim Scholarship.

 

 

Outside practice, Ashleigh is a long-term foster carer with The Lost Dogs Home and an active advocate for children with dyslexia, working to improve educational standards and outcomes for students with learning differences.

Thirumalai Selvi Shanmugam

Shan Lawyers

Shelvi is the founding Legal Director and Principal Lawyer of Shan Lawyers, where she practises predominantly in family law. She advises on complex family law matters, including parenting disputes, international relocation, family violence and protection orders, and high-conflict financial and asset matters. Known for her calm, strategic, and commercially minded approach, Shelvi supports clients through challenging transitions with clarity and strategic judgement.

Shelvi demonstrates a genuine commitment to the profession through her involvement with the Family Law Section of the Law Institute of Victoria and the Law Reform Committee of Victorian Women Lawyers. She is also pursuing a Master of Laws (LLM) in Family Law to further deepen her expertise. Fluent in English and Tamil, she is skilled in assisting clients from multicultural and internationally connected backgrounds, and volunteers with the Peninsula Legal Community Centre, reflecting her commitment to access to justice.